Diagnóstico citológico de histoplasmose disseminada em um felino

Abstract

Histoplasma capsulatum is a dimorphic fungus responsable for the histoplasmosis. This etiological agent is found in soil containing nitrogen-rich organic matter which promotes its growth and sporulation. The histoplasmosis has a worldwide distribution and it is endemic in subtropical and temperate areas. The infeccion occurs by inhalation or ingestion of microconidea from the mycelial phase found in the environment. The infecction can affect wild and domestic animals and the human being. In Brazil, the histoplasmosis has already been described in dogs and cats. In Rio Grande do Sul, until now, there are a few cases reported in domestic feline. This article describes the diagnosis of disseminated histoplasmosis in a cat via fine needle aspiration from mesenteric lymph node. The animal was refarred to the HVU-UFSM with a 3 months history of episodic vomiting, progress weight loss and hematochezia. The clinical pathology was caracterizaded by leukocytosis, neutrophilia, linphocytosis and hypoalbuminemia. By ultrasound was possible to see enlarged abdominal lymph nodes. The animal was submeted to therapy with itraconazole 5mg/Kg and 10 mg/Kg. Sixteen months after the diagnosis, the patient is health without signs of relapse. With this report, it can be concluded that the cytology is an importante technique for screening and diagnosis aid in the small animal clinical.