THE ROLE OF YEASTS IN ETIOLOGY OF CANINE OTITIS

Abstract

The article presents the results of the study of the species composition of the microbiota of the skin surface of the auditory canal for otitis in dogs, in particular the results of the study of the fungal microbiota and the frequency of associations of pathogenic fungi with bacterial pathogens. Objective Investigation of the ear microbiota in dogs with otitis with the aim of identifying microbial/fungal species composition and establishing the role of yeasts in the etiology of otitis, identifying possible associations of fungi and pathogenic staphylococci. Materials and methods Experimental animals were dogs aged from 6 months to 10 years. During the period 2018-2020, 30 dogs of various breeds weighing 5-60 kg, of both genders, with otitis symptoms were examined. During the study, sampling of clinical material from affected animals, isolation of pathogen cultures on nutrient media, the study of their cultural properties and the determination of sensitivity to the corresponding drugs were carried out. As the research results showed, among the representatives of yeast fungi in the material isolated from dogs with otitis, Malassezia pachydermatis was most often isolated - 9 cases (30%). Representatives of Candida albicans were isolated in only 1 case (3.3%), so their clinical significance requires further study. These fungi could be extraneous contaminants. It should be noted that in 9 cases (30% of the number of cases of Staphylococcus aureus isolation) associations of S. aureus were observed with Malassezia pachydermatis fungi, in 6 cases (20%) associations of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius with Malassezia pachydermatis fungi were observed; in 5 cases (16.7%) – associations of S. aureus with gram-negative Proteus spp. Conclusions 1. Among representatives of yeast fungi in the material isolated from dogs with otitis, M. pachydermatis was most often isolated – 9 cases (30%). 2. Representatives of C. albicans were isolated in only 1 case (3.3%), so their clinical significance requires further study. These agents could be extraneous contaminants. 3. It should be noted that in 9 cases (30% of the number of cases of S. aureus isolation) associations with M. pachydermatis fungi were observed, in 6 cases (20%) associations of S. pseudintermedius with M. pachydermatis fungi were observed; in 5 cases (16.7%) – associations of Malassezia with gram-negative Proteus spp.