Abstract
Since the late 1990s, cryptococcosis has been an emerging disease of humans and animals in the Pacific Northwest. Since first being discovered on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the incidence of Cryptococcus gattii in Western Canada is now among the highest worldwide.1 Cryptococcus gattii has been documented in a variety of wildlife and domestic species and has been implicated as the cause of pneumonia in marine mammals, specifically cetaceans.2 Despite intensive recovery efforts, to date no cases of C. gattii have been identified in pinniped species, although there is one report of a California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) with a Cryptococcus albidus infection.3 This report documents the first case of C. gattii in a harbor seal (Phoca vitulina).
A case of systemic C. gattii in an approximately 3-week-old female harbor seal is described. This animal presented to the Vancouver Aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue Centre from Roberts Creek, British Columbia. On initial assessment, the animal was dehydrated and malnourished with multiple draining puncture wounds on the hind flippers. Within 3 days after being admitted, the pup passed away and with a large volume of mucohemorrhagic discharge around the nares. Necropsy and histopathology revealed generalized lymphadenopathy, bronchopneumonia, meningoencephalitis, fungemia, and multiple granulomas with intralesional yeast. Fungal culture from lung and lymph node confirmed heavy growth of C. gattii type VGIIa. The implications of cryptococcosis for pinniped population health within the region have not yet been determined.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank all of the staff and volunteers at the Vancouver Aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue Centre for their dedication and hard work to this patient and all of the other animals in their care.
* Presenting author
+ Student presenter
Literature Cited
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