An outbreak of ovine conidiobolomycosis in the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

Conidiobolus sp. causes conidiobolomycosis, an emerging invasive fungal disease that affects humans and animals, mainly in tropical regions. In sheep, the disease has a major economic impact. We report an outbreak of conidiobolomycosis on a sheep farm in the Brazilian Amazon, as well as give a brief review of the subject. Veterinary care was requested on a rural property on which 3 of 35 sheep had developed prostration, facial edema, and exophthalmos. Two of the sick animals died, and a third was referred to the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Acre (Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil). After imaging tests, the animal was euthanized given the advanced clinical stage of the disease. The main autopsy findings were rhinosinusitis with caseous necrosis, destruction of the nasal turbinates, and pulmonary granulomas. Based on our histologic, immunologic, microbiologic, and molecular tests, the outbreak was confirmed to be caused by Conidiobolus lamprauges, a saprozoonotic agent that has not been reported previously in northern Brazil, to our knowledge.