Disseminated candidiasis and candidemia caused by candida palmioleophila in a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Journal
Animals
Journal Volume
11
Journal Issue
12
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
Abstract
A sub-adult green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) was rescued and treated for carapace and plastron shell fractures. The turtle was kept dry-docked for the first 2 months with a placement of a long-term jugular central venous catheter (CVC). Pain management, aggressive antibiotic and anthelmintic therapy, fluid therapy, force feeding, and wound debridement were provided to manage the shell fractures and control bacteremia. Human albumin was administered to treat severe hypoalbuminemia. On day 59, small budding yeasts were noted on the blood smears. Candidemia was confirmed by blood culture, as the yeasts were identified as Candida palmioleophila by the molecular multi-locus identification method. The CVC was removed, and the patient was treated with itraconazole. Although the carapace and plastron wounds had epithelized by 5.5 months after the rescue, the turtle died unexpectedly by 7.5 months. The postmortem examination revealed numerous necrogranulomas with intralesional yeasts, morphologically compatible with Candida spp., in joints, bones, brain, and lungs, suggestive of disseminated candidiasis. We describe a rare case of candidemia in the veterinary field. To our knowledge, this is the first report of candidiasis caused by C. palmioleophila in a reptile. The present results should improve veterinary medical care and, therefore, enhance the conservation of endangered sea turtle species. ? 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Subjects
Candida palmioleophila
Candidemia
Central venous catheter
Chelonia mydas
Disseminated candidiasis
Green sea turtle
albumin
amikacin
butorphanol
butorphanol tartrate
ciprofloxacin
cotrimoxazole
dexmedetomidine
Elongation factor 1 alpha 1 protein
elongation factor 1alpha
itraconazole
ketamine
large subunit ribosomal RNA
meloxicam
meropenem
metronidazole
midazolam
piperacillin
praziquantel
propofol
RNA polymerase II large subunit protein
unclassified drug
animal tissue
antifungal activity
antifungal susceptibility
Article
autopsy
Candida
candidiasis
carapace
Chelonia
computer assisted tomography
Enterococcus faecalis
female
histopathology
hospitalization
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Morganella morganii
nonhuman
physical examination
radiography
Shewanella putrefaciens
SDGs
Type
journal article