T-lymphocyte predominance in lesions of canine coccidioidomycosis

Vet Pathol. 2011 Sep;48(5):1008-11. doi: 10.1177/0300985810384410. Epub 2010 Oct 7.

Abstract

Coccidioidomycosis is a systemic fungal infection endemic to the southwestern United States. Although cell-mediated immunity is considered critical in control of the infection, little is known of the cellular population in naturally occurring lesions. To characterize the lymphocytic infiltration, archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues (subcutis, pericardium/heart, lung, bone, and synovium) from 18 dogs with coccidioidomycosis were studied with immunohistochemistry for CD3 and CD79a. In nearly all lesions, T lymphocytes were more numerous than B lymphocytes and were distributed throughout the lesion with concentration in the periphery of granulomas, whereas B lymphocytes were mostly confined to the periphery of granulomas. The predominance of T lymphocytes in lesions of canine coccidioidomycosis was independent of the tissue evaluated, the number of intralesional organisms, and the nature or severity of the inflammatory response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Coccidioides / immunology*
  • Coccidioidomycosis / immunology
  • Coccidioidomycosis / microbiology
  • Coccidioidomycosis / pathology
  • Coccidioidomycosis / veterinary*
  • Dog Diseases / immunology
  • Dog Diseases / microbiology*
  • Dog Diseases / pathology
  • Dogs
  • Granuloma / immunology
  • Granuloma / microbiology*
  • Granuloma / pathology
  • Immunity, Cellular / immunology*
  • Immunohistochemistry / veterinary
  • Retrospective Studies
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / microbiology*