Cryptococcus gattii Infection in the Carpal Joint of a Goat

Abstract

A 5-year-old LaMancha goat buck presented for evaluation of a 1-week history of progressive lameness and carpal swelling in the left thoracic limb. Cytology performed on an aspirate from the left radiocarpal joint identified abundant round to oval, thickly encapsulated, extracellular yeast organisms that occasionally exhibited narrow-based budding, features compatible with Cryptococcus spp. yeast. The patient was euthanized due to poor prognosis, and a necropsy was performed. Histopathology confirmed the presence of numerous fungal yeast associated with the left radiocarpal joint. A cryptococcal serum latex agglutination test was negative. However, panfungal PCR and fungal culture identified the organisms as Cryptococcus gattii. This report describes, for the first time, a case of a C. gattii infection affecting the joint of a goat.

Keywords: arthritis; caprine; cryptococcosis; cytology; fungus.