Disseminated Lichtheimia ramosa infection in a Japanese Black calf

A female Japanese Black calf with diarrhea and fever was treated unsuccessfully with multiple antibiotics (oxytetracycline, fluorinated quinolones, tylosin, penicillin) and glucocorticoids. Without expecting recovery, the calf was euthanized. On post-mortem examination, the calf had thymus hypoplasia and disseminated mucormycosis with lesions in the liver and gastrointestinal tract. Histologically, multifocal granulomatous lesions with fungal hyphae were detected in the liver and submucosal tissues in the gastrointestinal tract. Lichtheimia ramosa was isolated from the liver. Immunosuppression and antibiotic administration are risk factors for mucormycosis.