MUCORMYCOSIS

Mucormycosis is an infection caused by saprophytic fungi belonging to the genera Mucor, Rhizopus, Rhizomucor, Absidia, Apophysomyces, Cunninghamella, Saksenaea, Mortierella and Syncephalastrum.

Mucorales infections occur in many animal species, but reports in European wild animals are rare and those avail­able are related to infections in marine mammals and birds(¹2).

Known risk factors for Mucorales infections are associ­ated with exposure to a large amount of fungal spores that colonize the host through inhalation, percutaneous inocu­lation or ingestion. The clinical signs vary according to the immunological status of the host.

Four main clinical manifestations of Mucorales infec­tions are known: cutaneous or subcutaneous, gastrointes­tinal, pulmonary and rhinocerebral mucormycoses.

Cutaneous or subcutaneus infections have been described in birds and amphibians. In birds, the clinical signs are feather loss on legs, dorsum, neck and head, and hyperkeratosis of the feet.

Pulmonary infections have been described in horses and cattle, whereas air- sac infections are known to occur in grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). Clinical signs include apathy, fever, lacrimation and dyspnoea.

Gastrointestinal mucormycosis with high mortality rates has been described in sika deer ( Cervus nippon). Clin­ical signs of rhinocerebral mucormycosis include lethargy, hypermetria, ataxia and blindness.

Mucorales infections can be diagnosed by microscopic examination and fungal culture of the lesions. Specimens should be aseptically collected, and a large amount of tissue is needed for culture.