Pneumonia by Cryptococcus neoformans in a goat in the Southern region of Brazil

EnglishThis report describes the clinical, pathological, and molecular aspects of a pneumonia by Cryptococcus neoformans in a goat in the Southern region of Brazil. A goat with a history of prolonged transportation presented dyspnea, nasal discharge and cough, and was subjected to necropsy, histopathology, and mycological evaluation. Grossly, cranio-ventral pulmonary consolidation was observed, characterized by firm and grayish areas interspersed with dark red foci. Histopathology of the lungs showed areas of parenchymal necrosis, containing blastoconidia with a slightly basophilic central cell, surrounded by an unstained capsule. It was associated with moderate granulomatous inflammatory infiltrate and peripheral fibrosis. The capsule and fungus cell exhibited marked Alcian Blue and periodic acid-Schiff staining, respectively. Diagnosis of fungal pneumonia by C. neoformans was based on clinical, pathological, and molecular findings. Key words: goats; respiratory diseases; pathology; mycology; molecular diagnosis portuguesEste relato objetiva descrever os aspectos clinicos, patologicos e moleculares de pneumonia por Cryptococcus neoformans em um caprino na regiao Sul do Brasil. Um caprino com historico de transporte prolongado apresentou dispneia, secrecao nasal e tosse e foi encaminhado para necropsia, analise histopatologica e micologica. Macroscopicamente, observou-se consolidacao pulmonar cranioventral, caracterizada por areas firmes e acinzentadas, entremeadas por focos vermelho-escuros. Na analise histopatologica dos pulmoes foram evidenciadas areas de necrose do parenquima, que continham blastoconideos com celula central levemente basofilica, circundada por capsula nao corada, associados a moderado infiltrado inflamatorio granulomatoso e fibrose periferica. A capsula e a celula do fungo foram fortemente coradas pelo azul alciano e pelo acido periodico de Schiff, respectivamente. O diagnostico de pneumonia fungica por C. neoformans foi baseado nos achados clinicos, patologicos e moleculares. Palavras-chave: caprinos; doencas respiratorias; patologia; micologia; diagnostico molecular