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Background : : : Cutaneous mycobacterioses show a worldwide distribution and manifest as three forms: atypical mycobacteriosis, feline leprosy and cutaneous tuberculosis. Atypical cutaneous mycobacteriosis in cats is a rare disease commonly caused by fast-growing mycobacteria belonging group IV of the Runyon classification. This report describes for the first time an autochthonous case of atypical cutaneous mycobacteriosis in a cat from the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. Case : A castrated female mongrel cat presented multiple ulcerated, exudative and alopecic lesions in different regions of the body. After sedation of the animal with 1% acepromazine hydrochloride (0.1 mg/kg) and 10% ketamine hydrochloride (10 mg/kg), clinical examination was performed and an exudate was collected from the ulcerated skin lesion for cytopathological analysis and mycological culture. The slide containing the lesion impression was stained by a rapid panoptic method. For fungal culture, material was collected with a sterile swab, seeded onto Sabouraud dextrose agar containing chloramphenicol and mycobiotic agar, and incubated at 25oC. After antisepsis and asepsis, local anesthesia was performed with 2% lidocaine hydrochloride without vasoconstrictor and a 4 mm punch biopsy was collected from the lesion, fixed in 10% buffered formalin and sent for histopathological analysis. No fungal structures were detected by cytopathological or mycological analysis. Histopathological examination revealed ulcerated skin and the presence of a marked and diffuse pyogranulomatous infiltrate in the superficial and deep dermis, which also involving the subcutaneous tissue and underlying muscle tissue. Grocott’s or PAS staining did not identify fungal structures. The Wade method was positive for acid-fast bacteria suggestive of ycobacterium . Analysis of the hematological and biochemical profiles revealed no noteworthy alterations. After the result of the histopathological exam, exudate material and lesion fragments were collected for bacteriological examination. The clinical specimens were processed and the presence of acid-fast bacteria was confirmed by Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Mycobacterium fortuitum fortuitum was identified based on the Runyon classification and biochemical tests, and was confirmed by molecular tests. Oral administration of enrofloxacin (5 mg/kg) at 24 h intervals was prescribed for 30 days. On the control visit, involution of the skin lesions was observed by physical examination and was also reported by the owner. After 4 months of irregular treatment due to the difficulty in administering the medication because of the cat’s aggressiveness, the animal started to present respiratory difficulties, rapid weight loss, apathy and died. Discussion : The occurrence of atypical mycobacteriosis is rare in Brazil, with isolated reports of mycobacteriosis such as canine leproid granuloma syndrome in Sao Paulo, canine cutaneous mycobacteriosis in Rio Grande do Sul, one case of feline leprosy in Sao Paulo, and one case of feline atypical cutaneous mycobacteriosis in Sao Paulo. The diagnosis and treatment of mycobacterial infections are frequently neglected because they are not included in the differential diagnosis of diverse cutaneous infections. In view of the scarcity of reports and to alert veterinarians that the disease should be included in the differential diagnosis with other feline dermatopathies, this report described a case of atypical feline cutaneous mycobacteriosis that occurred in the state of Rio de Janeiro. In contrast to the previous case report in Sao Paulo, in which was diagnosed the species Mycobacterium fortuitum biovar peregrinum , the species identified here was Mycobacterium fortuitum biovar fortuitum .

Indirect immunofluorescence is the method recommended for the diagnosis of visceral leishmanisis in dogs, however, the accuracy of this technique is low and its use on a large scale is limited. Since ELISA does not present these limitations, this technique might be an option for the detection of IgG or specific IgG1 and IgG2 subclasses. Canine ehrlichiosis is an important differential diagnosis of American Visceral Leishmaniasis (AVL). The present study compared ELISA using Leishmania chagasi and Leishmania braziliensis antigen for the detection of anti-Leishmania IgG and subclasses in serum samples from 37 dogs naturally infected with L. chagasi (AVL) and in samples from four dogs co-infected with L. braziliensis and L. chagasi (CI). The occurrence of cross-reactivity was investigated in control serum samples of 17 healthy dogs (HC) and 35 infected with Ehrlichia canis (EC). The mean optical density obtained for the detection of IgG was significantly higher when L. chagasi antigen was used, and was also higher in subgroup VLs (symptomatic) compared to subgroup Vla (asymptomatic). The correlation between IgG and IgG1 was low. The present results suggest that IgG ELISA using homologous antigen yields the best results, permitting the diagnosis of asymptomatic L. chagasi infection and the discrimination between cases of AVL and ehrlichiosis in dogs.

A partir de um caso canino de leishmaniose tegumentar americana na localidade de Santa Rita de Cássia, município de Barra Mansa, Rio de Janeiro, foi realizado um inquérito sorológico em 177 cães e 43 gatos. Na avaliação das amostras de soros caninos, 10% foram positivos na reação de imunofluorescência indireta e 10,7% no ensaio imunoenzimático. Entre as amostras de soros felinos testados, nenhum animal foi positivo na reação de imunofluorescência indireta e apenas um (2,4%) felino apresentou reação positiva ao ensaio imunoenzimático. A detecção de Leishmania braziliensis, autóctone em Barra Mansa, faz um alerta para a instalação de um possível foco de leishmaniose tegumentar americana nessa região. From a canine case of american cutaneous leishmaniasis in the locality of Santa Rita de Cássia, municipality of Barra Mansa, Rio de Janeiro, a serological survey was performed on 177 dogs and 43 cats. Evaluation of the canine serum samples showed that 10% had a positive reaction in the indirect immunofluorescence test and 10.7% in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Among the feline serum samples tested, none of the animals had a positive reaction in the indirect immunofluorescence test and only one (2.4%) showed a positive reaction in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The detection of an autochthonous case of Leishmania braziliensis in Barra Mansa gives warning that a focus of american cutaneous leishmaniasis is possibly becoming established in this region.

From a canine case of american cutaneous leishmaniasis in the locality of Santa Rita de Cássia, municipality of Barra Mansa, Rio de Janeiro, a serological survey was performed on 177 dogs and 43 cats. Evaluation of the canine serum samples showed that 10% had a positive reaction in the indirect immunofluorescence test and 10.7% in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Among the feline serum samples tested, none of the animals had a positive reaction in the indirect immunofluorescence test and only one (2.4%) showed a positive reaction in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The detection of an autochthonous case of Leishmania braziliensis in Barra Mansa gives warning that a focus of american cutaneous leishmaniasis is possibly becoming established in this region.