Sporotrichosis in guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) - case report]

Abstract

ABSTRACT The guinea pig is a South American rodent with a docile behavior that has been gaining popularity as a pet, increasing the search for specialized veterinary care for the species. In the clinical casuistry, about half of the visits are due to dermatological changes, among which fungal infections are uncommon. Sporotrichosis is a zoonosis caused by the fungus of the genus Sporothrix, widely distributed in nature, which contaminates the host from the inoculation of the agent in lesions and mucous membranes and has been reported in several species of animals. Felines with access to the street are the main disseminators of the agent due to the behaviors of the species and can contaminate other animals and humans. The most evident clinical signs are crusted, exudative and difficult to heal lesions, requiring complementary tests such as PCR and culture to confirm the diagnosis. The specific treatment is time-consuming, using antifungal drugs such as itraconazole, which can be associated with topical treatment to aid healing. Given the difficulty of finding references about this zoonosis, it is difficult to obtain reliable data on the epidemiology of this disease. The present work describes the first report of sporotrichosis in guinea pig in Brazil, the complementary examinations that resulted in the definitive diagnosis and the effective therapeutic response, to contribute to possible work and research.