Identification, diagnosis and successful therapy of dermatophilosis in an organized dairy herd of buffaloes

Abstract

An organized dairy farm of buffaloes was reported with history of hair loss, itching in some animals and crusty lesions on different body parts. Skin scabs and scrapings and impression smears from lesions were collected under sterile conditions for laboratory examination. The impression smears taken from the lesions were also stained with Giemsa's stain and Gram's stain and examined under the oil immersion objective of microscope. The skin scrapings were also subjected to direct microscopical examination using 10 percent potassium hydroxide to rule out fungal elements and mites. Isolation of Dermatophilus congolensis was carried out using Haalstra's technique. The isolates were stained by Gram's method and identification was carried out using various morphological, cultural, biochemical and sugar fermentation tests of the isolates. The isolates were positive for catalase, oxidase and urease tests and were able to digest gelatin and Loefflers coagulated serum, indicating proteolytic activity. The isolates showed hydrolysis of starch and casein. All the isolates showed negative results with nitrate test and indole test. Three injections of long-acting tetracycline (20 mg/kg) weekly were effective to solve the cases of generalized bovine dermatophilosis.