PITIOSE NASAL EM ÉGUA MANGALARGA MARCHADOR: RELATO DE CASO

Abstract

The present study reports the clinical case of a Mangalarga Marchador mare affected by pythiosis in the right nostril after trauma that caused a fracture of the nasal bone and a solution of continuity in the skin and nasal mucosa. The lesions are characterized by the formation of exuberant granulation tissue, presence of kunkers, production of serosanguinolent secretion and intense itching. Equine pythiosis is a skin disease caused by the Oomycete Pythium insidiosum, an aquatic microorganism that can infect injured skin areas of equidae and other mammals that frequent flooded environments. The animal acquired the disease in the Pernambuco Zona da Mata region, at the brazillian northeast, but the treatment was carried in the state of Paraíba. It was initially treated for cutaneous habronosis, but after failure of this treatment and histopathological examination with confirmation of pythiosis, systemic drug therapy was instituted with amphotericin B, also surgical excision of the granulation tissue whenever it presented exuberant growth and topical treatment with amphotericin B ointment was applied. Treatment was considered successful and when there were no more clinical signs of pythiosis the animal was discharged. Approximately 2 months later, the animal returned to the clinic after recurrence of the lesion, now with involvement of both nostrils. The treatment described above was performed but there was no satisfactory response, even with a increase in the dose of amphotericin B. Therefore, the treatment was changed for oral potassium iodide associated with surgical excision and topical treatment with amphotericin B ointment and potassium iodide. After 30 days, the total remission of the clinical signs of pythiosis was verified. As soon as the wound was completely healed, the animal was discharged, returning to its reproductive activities. Actually, the animal does not present clinical signs of pythosis. Thus, we conclude that potassium iodide can be considered as a good alternative in the treatment of pythiosis, since it has been efficient in combating its etiologic agent and has a lower financial cost than amphotericin B, making the treatment more accessible, and not causing adverse reactions.