Fungal Infections in Mammals and Birds

Fungal Infections of Mammals and Birds fairly common

Fungal infections take a large annual toll on many domestic and wild plants. They also take a huge toll on vertebrates such as mammals and birds as outlined below from a long 2018 review by Seyedmousavi ¹.

ASPERGILLUM AND MUCOR
Aspergillus fungi are a major infection hazard for both man and animals- with infections from Aspergillus fumigatus, flavus, niger, and terreus being the most common infectious species.  Aspergillus infections kill many honeybee hives by disease called stonebrood. Aspergillus infections can kill off many sea fan corals (Gorgonia species).  Aspergillus species infect reptile and frequdently cause fatal respiratory infections in birds.  Aspergillus causes many infections in domestic cats and dogs as well.  Mucor fungi can cause a large range of infections horses, ruminants (such as cattle), cats, and dogs ¹.

CANDIDA , MELANIZED FUNGI, COCCIOIDOMYCES, MELANIZED MOLD, HISTOPLASMOSIS, BLASTOMYCES
Serious Candida infections have been found in many animals including cattle, horses, dogs, cat pigs. Melanized fungi frequently infect crustaceans, wild, farmed and aquarium fish, amphibians. Coccidioidomyces frequently infects many animals- especially pet dogs in endemic areas such as southwestern USA or northwestern Mexico. Histoplamosis is commonly seen in dogs, cats, badgers, donkeys, horses and mules.  Blastomyces is commonly seen in humans, dogs, cats and horses ¹.

CHYTRIDIOMYCOSIS MAJOR MENACE TO AMPHIBIANS
Chytridiomycosis is fungal diseases responsible for amphibian decline and is a great threat to frog and salamander diversity.  Chrytriomycosis has been estimated to cause extinction or severe decline of about 200 amphibian species ¹.

BAT WHITE NOSE SYNDROME DEVASTATING
Bat white-nose syndrome is caused by the fungi Pseudogymnoascus destructans.  White nose syndrome has caused millions of bat deaths and regional extinctions of many bat species.   White nose syndrome can be spread from bat to bat and by contaminated human clothing ¹.

MICROSPORIUM CANIS IN CATS
The fungi Microsporium canis frequently causes skin infections in cats.  Spread of microsporium is especially common in cat shelters ¹.

MYCOTOXINS
In addition many domestic and wild animals from food and feeds contamiated with mycotoxins from many types of fungi ¹.

Research and References:

1. Seyedmousavi S, Bosco SMG, de Hoog S, et al. Fungal infections in animals: a patchwork of different situations. Medical mycology. 2018;56(suppl_1):165-187.