Occurrence of various pathogenic and opportunistic fungi in skin diseases of domestic animals: a retrospective study

Abstract

Background Fungal infection of animals or humans are common all over the world. Some of microorganisms like fungi, exist on the skin and can be transmitted onto other individuals, other animal species or even humans and cause skin infections. Moreover, they can be the causative agents of severe generalized infections especially in immunocompromised individuals. The study aimed to evaluate the most frequent etiological agents of skin diseases and to compare the prevalence of animal fungal infections in Poland, and to discuss the possibility of transmission to humans in Poland. Results The obtained results are culture based . The fungi most frequently isolated from group of animals with skin lesions were Malassezia pachydermatis (29.14%), and Candida yeasts (27.07%), and dermatophytes (23.5%), including Microsporum canis as majority of them (59.25%), and Trichophyton genus (40.7%), most of them T. mentagrophytes, while Malassezia pachydermatis represented (80%) of isolates in animals with otitis externa. In over 19% of positive fungal cultures obtained from external ear canals Candida yeasts, mainly C. albicans , were identified. Conclusions Dermatomycoses in companion animals are caused by both, mycelial fungi and yeasts. Most frequently isolated were Malassezia pachydermatis and Candida spp. Dermatophytes ( Trichophyton, Microsporum ), were also cultured, but the total number of these isolates seems to decrease. We have not found Cryptococcus neoformans in tested clinical samples.

Epidemiologic and Molecular Characterization of Zoonotic Dermatophytes from Pet Dogs and Cats in Egypt

“…Such a result could be explained considering the concept that healthy skin usually acts as a barrier for fungal infection, but traumatic skin lesions, scratching, and itching due to ectoparasite infection facilitate the fungal invasion, as explained by Morettie et al (2013). Moreover, the carrier state of dermatophytes was previously recorded by Frymus et al (2013), andIlhan et al (2016) whose study declared that pet dogs and cats can act as carriers of fungal spores and the disease condition occurred under certain predisposing factors.…”

Selenium nanoparticles from Lactobacillus paracasei HM1 capable of antagonizing animal pathogenic fungi as a new source from human breast milk

“…Fungi are an extremely versatile class of organisms which can attack different hosts, causing many serious diseases ( Seyedmousavi et al, 2018 ). The importance of fungal infections in humans and animals has increased over the last two decades ( Dworecka-Kaszak et al, 2020 ). These diseases caused by fungi can be difficult to treat due to developing resistance to standard antifungal drugs ( Fisher et al, 2012 , Yapar, 2014 ).…”

Flavones, Flavonols, and Glycosylated Derivatives—Impact on Candida albicans Growth and Virulence, Expression of CDR1 and ERG11, Cytotoxicity

“…Yeast C. albicans is the predominant cause of vulvovaginal candidiasis, a disease affecting up to 75% of women once in a lifetime [2], as well as oral candidiasis [3] and the prevalent healthcare-associated invasive fungal infection-invasive candidiasis [4]. Besides posing a serious threat to human health it is also the causative agent of animal skin infections [5].…”