Isolation of dermatophytes from dogs and cats in the South of England between 1991 and 2017

Sarah Long,Ross Bond,Dan O'Neill,Hope Carveth,Yu‐Mei Chang

doi:10.1136/vr.105957

Abstract

BackgroundSince the epidemiology of canine and feline dermatophytosis might evolve in response to chronological, sociological and ecological factors, the authors studied the occurrence of dermatophyte pathogens over 27 years subsequent...

Highlights

Dermatophytosis is an infection of the hair, nail / claw or stratum corneum by keratinophilic fungi of the family Arthrodermataceae 1, 2 Traditionally, three genera of causal agents are identified by phenotypic characteristics (Microsporum, Trichophyton, Epidermophyton) but recent phylogenetic analyses have recognised four additional clades (Lophophyton, Paraphyton, Nannizzia, Arthroderma).[2]
There are a number of similarities between the results of the present study and that of Sparkes et al.; this is not surprising since the same host species were sampled from a similar geographical region.[9]
The more frequent isolation of M. canis and of dermatophytes overall in our first-opinion samples indicates that the 16 type of practice can influence isolation rates and comparative analyses

Summary

Introduction

Dermatophytosis (tinea, ‘ringworm’) is an infection of the hair, nail / claw or stratum corneum by keratinophilic fungi of the family Arthrodermataceae 1, 2 Traditionally, three genera of causal agents are identified by phenotypic characteristics (Microsporum, Trichophyton, Epidermophyton) but recent phylogenetic analyses have recognised four additional clades (Lophophyton, Paraphyton, Nannizzia, Arthroderma).[2]. Whilst it is clear that the dermatophyte pathogens encountered will vary with the species of the mammalian host, there is marked geographical variation, in human medicine.[4, 7] For example, scalp dermatophytosis (tinea capitis) in humans is most often caused by M. canis in most parts of Asia and Europe, whereas T. tonsurans predominates in the Americas and UK.[7] In dogs, M. gypseum N. gypsea 2) accounted for 44 per cent of 70 canine isolates over a ten year period in Louisiana, USA.[8] Sparkes et al presented contrasting data in a compelling account of the epidemiological and diagnostic features of dermatophytosis in dogs and cats in the UK from 1956 to 1991.9 Amongst 8349 samples submitted to the Mycology Diagnostic Service of the School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, M. gypseum accounted for only 3 out of 475 dog isolations.[9] In that U.K. study, M. canis accounted for 92 and 65 per cent of cat and dog isolates, respectively, whereas T. mentagrophytes accounted for 6 and 24 per cent of cat and dog isolates, respectively.[9]. Since the epidemiology of canine and feline dermatophytosis might evolve in response to chronological, sociological and ecological factors, we studied the occurrence of dermatophyte pathogens over 27 years subsequent to the last major UK survey

Methods

Results

Conclusion