Pathologic, histochemical, and immunohistochemical findings in pulmonary and encephalitic cryptococcosis in a goat

Abstract

We describe the pathologic, histochemical, and immunohistochemical findings associated with pulmonary and encephalitic cryptococcosis in a 3-y-old, mixed-breed, nanny goat from central-west Brazil. The goat had progressive neurologic signs over 30 d; cryptococcosis was diagnosed antemortem by cytologic evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid. Treatment was initiated, but the animal died spontaneously shortly thereafter. Grossly, there was a large space-occupying gelatinous mass (cryptococcoma) in the left lung and smaller masses in the cerebral temporal and frontal cortex, thalamus, hippocampus, basal nuclei, and mesencephalon with consequent internal hydrocephalus. Histologic evaluation revealed marked granulomatous cryptococcal pneumonia and meningoencephalitis. Intralesional narrow-necked budding cryptococcal yeasts were identified on special stains (Mayer mucicarmine and Grocott methenamine silver) in sections of lung and brain. Immunohistochemistry utilizing a panel of monoclonal antibodies that selectively label capsules of Cryptococcus spp. was consistent with C. neoformans var. grubii.