Fungal dermatitis associated to Rhodotorula glutinis in dog (Canis familiaris): case report

ABSTRACT The fungi Rhodotorula sp was considered nonpathogenic, but with the increase of immunosuppressed humans in the last two decades, the species R. mucilaginosa, R. glutinis and R. minuta became potentially pathogenic agents. There have been few veterinary clinical reports associated with Rhodotorula spp. and this work aims to describe the first case of fungal dermatitis caused by R. glutinis in immunosuppressed dog due to visceral leishmaniasis and osteosarcoma in the city of Cuiabá-Mato Grosso. An 11-year-old male mongrel dog was examined to the Veterinary Hospital with skin lesions and the diagnosis was dermatophytosis and the treatment was implemented with topical tea tree oil for one month, but the treatment failed. The animal returned to the Veterinary Hospital with bleeding in the injured area of the tail and biopsy was performed for microbiological and histopathology evaluation. In the microbiological and histopathological analysis, yeast was isolated and yeast-like structures in silver staining were observed, respectively. The isolated yeast was identified as R. glutinis by DNA sequencing. A new treatment was implemented without clinical improvement. The animal was diagnosed with leishmaniasis and osteosarcoma, which probably caused immunosuppression, and its clinical conditions evolved to death.