Rhinocerebral and nasal zygomycosis in sheep caused by Conidiobolus incongruus

The clinical findings, pathology and mycology of a cluster of 5 ovine cases of rhinocerebral and nasal zygomycosis caused by Conidiobolus incongruus are described. All cases were in Border Leicester or Merino x Border Leicester ewes from a flock pastured in a low-lying paddock adjoining a small tidal river in subtropical Queensland (latitude 28 degrees S). These cases of zygomycosis are believed to be the first infections due to C incongruus recorded in animals other than humans. The disease was subacute in 4 animals with a course of up to several weeks. In these, the primary site of infection was the posterior nasal cavity. The lesions extended to the dorsum of the face between the eyes, to the orbital cavity and to the anterior brain and meninges in the cranial cavity. In one animal, where the anterior nasal cavity was affected and iodine treatment used, the course was longer. The fungal granulomas had numerous foreign body giant cells, neutrophils and eosinophils. Fungal hyphae were thin walled, 6 to 8 microns in diameter, with occasional septa and irregular branching. They were cuffed with a wide zone of necrotic cell coagulum, or with homogeneous eosinophilic Splendore-Hoeppli granules.