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, 13:34, 29 April 2010
*''Histoplasma capsulatum'' var. ''farciminosum''
**Similar to ''H. capsulatum''
*Occurs in horses, donkeys and mules
*90% occurs in horses
*Occurs in Europe, Africa and Asia
**Eradicated from the UK but is still under the notifiable Diseases of Animals Act
*Chronic disease
*Highly contageous
**Spread by direct contact or indirect, e.g. through infected grooming equipment, [[Biting Flies|biting flies]]
*Once established in a population it is very difficult to eradicate
**Long incubation peroid
**New cases can develop weeks or months after the infection appears to have been eradicated
*Affects the [[Lymph Nodes - Anatomy & Physiology|lymph nodes]], [[Lymphatic Vessels - Anatomy & Physiology|lymph vessels]] and [[Skin - Anatomy & Physiology|skin]]
**Mostly of the [[Musculoskeletal System - Anatomy & Physiology#The Head and Neck|neck]] and [[Musculoskeletal System - Anatomy & Physiology#Limbs of the Domestic Species|limbs]]
*Causes ulcerative, nodular lesions
**Dissemination occurs
**Pulmonary disease can occur
**Ulcers rupture, discharging blood-stained pus for several weeks
*Oval or pear shaped cells
**Double contoured
**Dimorphic
***Grows in the yeast phase at 37°C and in the mycelial phase at room temperature
**Growth is slow, taking up to 8 weeks
**At room temperature, thick-walled chlamydospores can be seen
**Orgnaisms can usually be seen in swollen [[Leukocytes - WikiBlood|leucocytes]]
*Can be stained using Gram, Giemsa, H & E and 10% Methylene Blue followed by Carbol Fuchsin
*Enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay can be used to detect the fungi
*Life-long immunity follows recovery from infection
*Treatment included potassium iodide, [[Antifungal Drugs#Polyene Antifungals|hamycin]] and [[Antifungal Drugs#Polyene Antifungals|Amphotericin B]]
**Vaccination has also proven to be effective
**Injection of hyperimmune serum around skin lesions has been proven to be effective[[Category:Subcutaneous_Mycoses]]