Treatment of Disseminated Aspergillosis with Posaconazole in 10 Dogs.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Few effective treatments for disseminated Aspergillus infections in dogs are available. Posaconazole has potent and broad-spectrum activity against Aspergillus spp., but its use has not yet been sufficiently evaluated in dogs.

HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES:

The aim of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of posaconazole for the treatment of naturally occurring disseminated Aspergillus infections in dogs.

ANIMALS:

Ten client-owned dogs with disseminated aspergillosis.

METHODS:

Prospective, nonrandomized, noncontrolled study with posaconazole administered to dogs at dosage of 5 mg/kg p.o. q12h. The primary veterinarian or the veterinary specialist caring for the dogs provided patient data.

RESULTS:

The treatment response for dogs with disseminated disease while receiving posaconazole was defined as clinical remission (n = 4) and clinical improvement (n = 6). There was a high rate of relapse during treatment or after cessation of treatment in both groups, and most dogs died or were euthanized due to progressive disease. Excluding 1 dog concurrently treated with terbinafine that remains alive 5 years after diagnosis, the mean survival time for dogs was 241 days (range 44-516 days). Three other dogs lived >1 year after starting treatment. No clinically relevant adverse events or increases in serum liver enzyme activity occurred during treatment with posaconazole.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE:

Posaconazole appears to be safe and well-tolerated for treatment of disseminated Aspergillus infections in dogs. Long-term survival >1 year is possible with prolonged treatment, but relapse is common.

• Authors: V K Corrigan, A M Legendre, L J Wheat, R Mullis, B Johnson, D A Bemis, L Cepero
• Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine (J Vet Intern Med) 2016 Jan-Feb Vol. 30 Issue 1 Pg. 167-73 ISSN: 1939-1676 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 26566711 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Chemical References

• Antifungal Agents
• Naphthalenes
• Triazoles
• posaconazole
• Terbinafine

Topics

• Animals
• Antifungal Agents (therapeutic use)
• Aspergillosis (drug therapy, veterinary)
• Dog Diseases (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Dogs
• Naphthalenes (therapeutic use)
• Terbinafine
• Triazoles (therapeutic use)