TY - JOUR
T1 - Coccidioidomycosis in alpacas in the southwestern United States
AU - Butkiewicz, Christine D.
AU - Shubitz, Lisa F.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH
Copyright:
Copyright 2019 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2019/3
Y1 - 2019/3
N2 - An anonymous web-based survey of alpaca owners was used to learn more about the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of coccidioidomycosis in alpacas in the United States. Thirty-seven owners, with 1,117 alpacas, completed the survey. Over 4% of alpacas included in the study were diagnosed with coccidioidomycosis between 2005 and 2016 (5 post mortem, 46 clinically). Immunodiffusion titers ranged from 1:4 to ≥1:256 in sick animals. Alpacas residing in Arizona counties with a high incidence of human disease were 5.8 times more likely to contract coccidioidomycosis than animals residing in other areas of the state. Treatment was reported in 23 alpacas, and 78% of those animals died or were euthanized. Necropsy records from a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in Tucson, AZ were reviewed to estimate the severity of disease in this species. Nine cases identified for review died of disseminated coccidioidomycosis; the disease was extensive in most animals, with the lungs, lymph nodes, and liver the most frequently affected. Alpacas appear to be highly susceptible to severe illness as a result of infection by Coccidioides spp., frequently resulting in death. More research is needed to better understand the epidemiology, clinical signs, and treatment protocols for coccidioidomycosis in alpacas.
AB - An anonymous web-based survey of alpaca owners was used to learn more about the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of coccidioidomycosis in alpacas in the United States. Thirty-seven owners, with 1,117 alpacas, completed the survey. Over 4% of alpacas included in the study were diagnosed with coccidioidomycosis between 2005 and 2016 (5 post mortem, 46 clinically). Immunodiffusion titers ranged from 1:4 to ≥1:256 in sick animals. Alpacas residing in Arizona counties with a high incidence of human disease were 5.8 times more likely to contract coccidioidomycosis than animals residing in other areas of the state. Treatment was reported in 23 alpacas, and 78% of those animals died or were euthanized. Necropsy records from a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in Tucson, AZ were reviewed to estimate the severity of disease in this species. Nine cases identified for review died of disseminated coccidioidomycosis; the disease was extensive in most animals, with the lungs, lymph nodes, and liver the most frequently affected. Alpacas appear to be highly susceptible to severe illness as a result of infection by Coccidioides spp., frequently resulting in death. More research is needed to better understand the epidemiology, clinical signs, and treatment protocols for coccidioidomycosis in alpacas.
KW - Coccidioides
KW - New World
KW - camelids
KW - coccidioidomycosis
KW - communicable diseases
KW - veterinary medicine
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U2 - 10.1111/tbed.13088
DO - 10.1111/tbed.13088
M3 - Article
C2 - 30506909
AN - SCOPUS:85058425780
VL - 66
SP - 807
EP - 812
JO - Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
JF - Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
SN - 1865-1674
IS - 2
ER -