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Volume 28, Number 10—October 2022
Dispatch

Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola, Etiologic Agent of Snake Fungal Disease, in Europe since Late 1950s

Francesco C. OriggiComments to Author , Simone R.R. Pisano, Olivier Glaizot, Stefan T. Hertwig, Andreas Schmitz, and Sylvain Ursenbacher
Author affiliations: University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (F.C. Origgi, S.R.R. Pisano, S.T. Hertwig); Museum of Zoology, Lausanne, Switzerland (O. Glaizot); University of Lausanne, Lausanne (O. Glaizot); Naturhistorisches Museum Burgergemeinde Bern, Bern (S.T. Hertwig); Natural History Museum of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland (A. Schmitz); University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland (S. Ursenbacher); info fauna CSCF & karch, Neuchâtel, Switzerland (S. Ursenbacher).

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Table 2

Histologic findings from investigation of snake fungal disease in Europe*

Sample Light microscopy descriptions PAS findings Score†
1
Epidermal hyperplasia with serocellular crusts and histiocytic granulomas; mononuclear to heterophilic dermatitis
Septate fungal hyphae, 3 µm thick, branching both at 90 and 45 degrees
3
2
Epidermal hyperplasia with serocellular crusts and microabscesses
Rare, septate fungal hyphae, 2–3 µm thick, branching at 90 degrees
2
3
Epidermal ulceration with heterophilic infiltration and histiocytic dermatitis, intralesional bacteria and foreign material
Septate fungal hyphae, 3 µm thick, branching at 90 degrees
1
4
Ulcerative dermatitis with serocellular crusts and hyperkeratosis
No evidence of fungal hyphae
0
5
Hyperkeratosis
Septate fungal hyphae, embedded in the keratin, 2–3 µm thick, branching at 90 degrees and acute angle
1
6
Hyperkeratosis with histiocytic (granulomatous) dermatitis
Septate fungal hyphae, 3–4 µm thick, branching at acute angle
3
7
Heterophilic granulomas and microabscesses in the epidermis
Rare fungal hyphae, 3 µm thick embedded or associated with the microgranulomas
3
8
Hyperkeratosis with serocellular crusts, epidermal microgranulomas and lymphocytic dermatitis
Septate fungal hyphae, 3 µm thick, branching at 90 degrees and acute angle
2
9
Large crusts surrounded by histiocytic to heterophilic infiltrate and multifocal microgranulomas
Fungal hyphae in the crusts, 2–3 µm thick
3
10
Few crust fragments admixed with bacteria
No detectable fungal hyphae
0
11
Lympho-histiocytic dermatitis with dermal heterophilic granulomas
Rare fragmented hyphae in the heterophilic granulomas
2
12
Serocellular crusts together with large heterophilic granulomas and more diffused histiocytic infiltration; lympho-histiocytic dermatitis
Septate fungal hyphae, 3 µm thick, branching at 90 degrees or acute angle
3
13
Small serocellular crusts
No evidence of fungal hyphae
0
14
Small and rare heterophilic granulomas
Fragments of fungal hyphae in microgranulomas
2
15
A small serocellular crust
Few fungal septate hyphae, 2–3 µm thick, branching at 90 degrees
1
16
Severe dermal edema with isolated inflammatory cells
No obvious fungal elements
0
17
Serocellular crusts with intralesional bacteria
Fragments of non-septate hyphae
1
18
Hyperkeratosis with upper keratin heterophilic to histiocytic infiltration
No obvious fungal elements
0
19
Serocellular crust
No obvious fungal elements
0
20
Intradermal heterophilic granulomas
No obvious fungal elements
0
21
Epidermal heterophilic granulomas with serocellular crusts
Septate fungal hyphae, 2–3 µm thick, branching at 90 degrees
2
22 Intraepidermal crusts with heterophilic granulomas and intralesional bacteria No obvious fungal elements 0

*PAS, periodic acid–Schiff. †Subjective scoring system complementing morphologic and molecular data; 0, PCR-negative with no histologic evidence of fungi; 1, PCR-negative with presence of fungi but without lesions consistent with those observed in PCR-positive samples (absence of heterophilic granulomas); 2, PCR-negative with presence of fungi and lesions consistent with snake fungal disease; 3, PCR-positive with presence of fungi consistent with Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola.

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Page created: July 31, 2022
Page updated: September 21, 2022
Page reviewed: September 21, 2022
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