Two Cases of Feline Orbital Aspergillosis due to Aspergillus udagawae and A. viridinutans

Abstract

Aspergillus udagawae and A. viridinutans are members of the section Fumigati; both cause invasive aspergillosis in humans. These two Aspergillus species are discriminated from A. fumigatus by molecular methods. Herein, we report two cases of feline orbital aspergillosis, one caused by A. udagawae and the other by A. viridinutans. To our knowledge, Case 1 represents the first reported case of treatment of A. udagawae with a high dosage of itraconazole, and Case 2 represents the first reported case of A. viridinutans infection associated with sarcoma. Identification of the etiologic agents of these cases was confirmed by comparative analyses of the sequences of β-tubulin-encoding genes. With the spread of non-fumigatus aspergillosis, increasing emphasis should be placed on molecular identification of the infecting Aspergillus species and the use of in vitro drug susceptibility tests to ensure the selection of appropriate antibiotics.