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Disseminated Lichtheimia ramosa infection in a Japanese Black calf

Summary

A young cow developed a severe fungal infection caused by Lichtheimia ramosa, a rare type of mold. The infection spread throughout the cow’s body, affecting the liver and digestive system. The cow had an underdeveloped immune system (thymus hypoplasia) and was given multiple antibiotics for weeks, which actually made the fungal infection worse by killing normal protective bacteria. Despite various treatments, the cow’s condition worsened and it had to be euthanized.

Background

Mucormycosis is an opportunistic infection caused by Mucorales fungi that occurs in immunocompromised animals. Lichtheimia ramosa is an uncommon causative agent with increasing diagnoses due to molecular identification methods. Cases in cattle remain limited, with most reported lesions in specific anatomical locations.

Objective

To report the first case of disseminated Lichtheimia ramosa infection in a Japanese Black calf and describe the clinical presentation, pathological findings, and molecular identification of the fungal isolate.

Results

The calf had thymus hypoplasia and disseminated mucormycosis with lesions in liver and gastrointestinal tract. Histologically, multifocal granulomatous lesions with fungal hyphae were detected. Lichtheimia ramosa was isolated and confirmed as subgroup I through molecular analysis with high sequence identity.

Conclusion

This case demonstrates that thymus hypoplasia and prolonged broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment are critical risk factors for disseminated fungal infection in calves. Gastrointestinal tract served as the entry point with hematogenous dissemination to the liver, highlighting the importance of considering opportunistic fungi in immunodeficient animals.
  • Published in:Medical Mycology Case Reports,
  • Study Type:Case Report,
  • Source: PMID: 41031331, DOI: 10.1016/j.mmcr.2025.100734
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