DERMATITIS AND RHINOSINUITIS CAUSED BY CURVULARIA SPECIES IN A CHINESE GORAL (NAEMORHEDUS GRISEUS)

Curvularia spp. are globally distributed saprophytic fungi, classified in the literature as dematiaceous, or darkly pigmented fungi. These fungi have been increasingly recognized as causing cutaneous, ocular, respiratory, and central nervous system infections in humans, but have been infrequently documented as pathogens in the veterinary literature. A 5-yr-old male Chinese goral (Naemorhedus griseus) presented with bilateral fungal dermatitis of the pinnae, and subsequent pyogranulomatous rhinosinusitis. Clinical signs included epistaxis, mucosanguineous nasal discharge, and dyspnea. Sequential histologic examinations of cutaneous and nasal lesions revealed pyogranulomatous inflammation with extracellular and phagocytized nonpigmented yeasts. Fungal culture and polymerase chain reaction identified Curvularia sp. The absence of pigmentation in tissue in this case suggests that pigmentation may not be a consistent histologic finding for this fungus, emphasizing the importance of molecular identification to prevent misidentification. Despite intensive interventions in this goral, the disease progressed, and was ultimately fatal.