Mycotic pneumonia in a cattle herd in Ibadan

Abstract

This is the first report of mycotic pneumonia in a calf from cattle herd presenting with chronic respiratory distress and weight loss in this environment. The handler noticed that the young members of the herd were not eating well, lost weight and later became recumbent. The lungs were consolidated and there were greyish miliary yellowish-white nodules within the lung lobes and embedded in zones of atelectasis. Microscopically, there were foci of caseous necrosis surrounded by neutrophils, macrophages and lymphocytes. Most of the air spaces and interstitium were expanded by infiltration of inflammatory cells, oedema and hemorrhage. Fungal hyphae were present within the nodules. The hyphae were septate, branching dichotomously with parallel sides. Mycotic pneumonia was confirmed based on observation of granulomatous lesions and microscopic evidence of branching fungal hyphae.