The epidemiology of canine and feline dermatophytoses in southern Italy

Abstract

A total of 424 animals (268 dogs and 156 cats) with skin lesions (alopecia and peripheral scaling) were examined from January 1999 to December 2002. Of the 424 samples examined, 99 (23.3%) yielded a positive culture and, in particular, 20.5% of the dog samples and 28.2% of the cat samples. Microsporum canis was the most common dermatophyte isolated from dogs and cats (77.7%), followed by geophilic dermatophyte species (M. gypseum, Trichophyton terrestre). Young dogs and cats, especially those younger than 1 year, showed a statistically significant higher prevalence of M. canis infection than older animals. No statistically significant association was found between infection and sex in cats, while male dogs were more affected by dermatophytes. Among breeds, Yorkshire terriers showed the highest positivity (50%) caused mainly by M. canis (46.6%), while no differences were noticed for cats. A significantly higher prevalence of positive samples was registered in summer and in autumn for cats. The presence of dermatophytes was not associated with itching. The diagnostic value of Wood's lamp fluorescence and microscopic examination proved to be scarce compared with fungal cultures as only 45.5% of the 77 samples that tested positive for M. canis at the cultural examination was positive under Wood's lamp florescence and 53.2% at microscopic examination.

Survey of Dermatophytes in Stray Cats with and without Skin Lesions in Northern Italy

“…Hair or scales exhibiting typical fluorescence were removed with a pair of sterile hemostats and cultured. Then the hair coat of all 273 cats was brushed with a sterile toothbrush using the modified Mackenzie collection method [1, 12]. …”

Detection of seasonal asymptomatic dermatophytes in Van cats

“…Dermatophytosis (ringworm) is an infection of keratinized structures, such as nails, hair, and the stratum corneum of the skin, and is the most common fungal disease found in animals. 4 Dermatophytes are fungi that cause dermatophytosis and are classified in three genera: Trichophyton ( T. ), Microsporum ( M. ), and Epidermophyton ( E. ). While only a few species belong to the Trichophyton genus, there are approximately 40 accepted species in the genus Epidermophyton ; and the Microsporum species usually cause dermatophytosis in domestic animals.…”

Molecular characterization of selected dermatophytes and their identification by electrophoretic mutation scanning

“…The disease caused by these fungi (i.e. dermatophytosis) is common worldwide [2] and is both of veterinary and public health importance [1,3,4], but its prevalence/incidence can vary considerably, depending on geographical and other epidemiological factors [3,5]. The clinical diagnosis of dermatophytosis is frequently challenging due to differing clinical presentations which can sometimes be indistinguishable from those of other skin diseases (e.g.…”

“…[1]. Members of the Microsporum canis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes ''complex'' cause cutaneous mycoses in animals [1,3,4] as well as tinea capitis and t. corporis in humans [3,[5][6][7][8].…”