What causes canine sino-nasal aspergillosis? A molecular approach to species identification

Jessica J Talbot; Lynelle R Johnson; Patricia Martin; Julia A Beatty; Deanna A Sutton; Frédéric Billen; Catriona L Halliday; Justine S Gibson; Sarah Kidd; Jörg M Steiner; Beata Ujvari; Vanessa R Barrs

doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.01.009

What causes canine sino-nasal aspergillosis? A molecular approach to species identification

Vet J. 2014 Apr;200(1):17-21. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.01.009. Epub 2014 Jan 23.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Valentine Charlton Cat Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
² Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
³ Veterinary Pathology Diagnostic Services, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁴ Department of Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Medicine, San Antonio, TX, USA.
⁵ Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
⁶ Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.
⁷ School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia.
⁸ Mycology Unit, SA Pathology, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
⁹ Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
¹⁰ Valentine Charlton Cat Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: vanessa.barrs@sydney.edu.au.

PMID: 24559745
DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.01.009

Abstract

On the basis of phenotypic identification methods, Aspergillus fumigatus is reported as the most commonly identified aetiological agent of canine sino-nasal aspergillosis (SNA). However, definitive identification of Aspergillus spp. using phenotypic features alone is unreliable. The aim of this study was to determine the molecular identities of fungal species causing SNA in dogs. Genomic DNA was extracted from 91 fungal isolates from 90 dogs diagnosed with SNA in Australia, the USA and Belgium, and the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 ribosomal DNA and partial β-tubulin regions were sequenced. Eighty-eight of 91 (96.7%) isolates were identified as A. fumigatus and 3/91 (3.3%) belonged to Aspergillus section Nigri spp. (Aspergillus tubingensis: 2/91; Aspergillus uvarum: 1/91). These findings confirm that A. fumigatus is the most common aetiological agent of canine SNA. This is the first report to document a pathogenic role for A. tubingensis and A. uvarum in dogs.

Keywords: Aspergillus fumigatus; Aspergillus tubingensis; Aspergillus uvarum; Canine; Sino-nasal aspergillosis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Aspergillosis / epidemiology
Aspergillosis / microbiology
Aspergillosis / veterinary*
Aspergillus / classification
Aspergillus / genetics*
Aspergillus / isolation & purification*
Aspergillus fumigatus / classification
Aspergillus fumigatus / genetics
Aspergillus fumigatus / isolation & purification
Australia / epidemiology
Belgium / epidemiology
Calmodulin / genetics
Calmodulin / metabolism
Dog Diseases / epidemiology*
Dog Diseases / microbiology
Dogs
Female
Fungal Proteins / genetics*
Fungal Proteins / metabolism
Male
Molecular Sequence Data
Nose / microbiology*
Phylogeny
Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S / genetics
RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S / metabolism
Sequence Analysis, DNA / veterinary
Tubulin / genetics
Tubulin / metabolism
United States / epidemiology

Substances

Calmodulin
Fungal Proteins
RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S
Tubulin

Associated data

GENBANK/KF314725
GENBANK/KF314726
GENBANK/KF314727
GENBANK/KF314728
GENBANK/KF314729
GENBANK/KF314730
GENBANK/KF476654
GENBANK/KF476655
GENBANK/KF476656