Pathogens (Jan 2023)

<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> and <i>Alternaria</i> sp.: An Original Association in an Immunosuppressed Dog with Persistent Skin Lesions

  • Radu Blaga,
  • Virginie Fabres,
  • Vincent Leynaud,
  • Jean-Jacques Fontaine,
  • Edouard Reyes-Gomez,
  • Amaury Briand,
  • Odile Crosaz,
  • Isabelle Lagrange,
  • Amandine Blaizot,
  • Delphine Le Roux,
  • Veronica Risco Castillo,
  • Pavlo Maksimov,
  • Jacques Guillot,
  • Jens Peter Teifke,
  • Gereon Schares

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12010114
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
p. 114

Abstract

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Dogs and cats may suffer from a variety of diseases, mainly immune mediated, that require the administration of immunosuppressive drugs. Such therapies can cause adverse effects either by the toxicity of the drugs or as a consequence of immune suppression and associated opportunistic infections. Here we present an, yet unknown, association of Toxoplasma gondii and Alternaria fungus, within cutaneous lesions in a dog under long-term immunosuppressive therapy. The diagnosis of such infections is laborious and not obvious at first glance, since the clinical signs of cutaneous toxoplasmosis, neosporosis or alternariosis are not specific. A further laboratory confirmation is needed. Therefore, we currently recommend that dogs and cats should undergo serologic testing for toxoplasmosis or neosporosis prior to immunosuppressive therapy and a regular dermatological evaluation during the immunosuppressive therapy.

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