Phaeohyphomycotic osteomyelitis in the femur of a cat

A 4-month-old castrated male domestic shorthair cat was presented for a right hind leg lameness of 1-week duration. Physical examination revealed a painful swelling over the right distal femur. A radiograph of the right stifle revealed an extensive lytic lesion involving the distal metaphysis of the right femur. Cytological examination of a needle aspirate was consistent with a deep fungal infection. A pigmented dimorphic fungus was isolated in pure culture from a representative needle aspirate from the lesion. The patient improved substantially after 5 weeks of high-dose itraconazole therapy, although it was subsequently lost to follow-up.