Dermatophytes In Cats Research Articles

Zoonotic Enteric Nematodes and Dermatophytes in Cat Cafés: An Investigation in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area, Thailand.

Cat cafés have gained significant popularity worldwide, offering a unique interface between humans and cats. The present study aims to assess the prevalence of potentially zoonotic endoparasites and dermatophytes from cats living in cat cafés situated in the Bangkok metropolitan area in 2017-2018. Cat fecal samples were subjected to microscopic examination employing centrifugal flotation and centrifugal sedimentation techniques. The hair samples from every cat were cultured on a dermatophyte test medium and Sabouraud dextrose agar and subsequently confirmed by visualization of the typical colony and macroconidia morphology. Findings from 11 cat cafés indicated an 18.2% (2/11) prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites, including Toxocara spp., Ancylostoma spp., Physaloptera spp., and Eucoleus aerophilus. Dermatophytes were prevalent in 16.2% (32/198) of the total number of cats tested, with Microsporum canis being the sole species identified. Notably, the presence of dermatophyte was significantly correlated with the presence of skin lesions and the cats' origin. In summary, the findings of this study have provided evidence of potentially zoonotic endoparasites and dermatophytes in cats residing in cat cafés. Therefore, it is imperative to heighten awareness and encourage preventive measures among cat café owners and customers to halt the dissemination of these pathogens.

Rapid and Visual RPA-Cas12a Fluorescence Assay for Accurate Detection of Dermatophytes in Cats and Dogs.

Dermatophytosis, an infectious disease caused by several fungi, can affect the hair, nails, and/or superficial layers of the skin and is of global significance. The most common dermatophytes in cats and dogs are Microsporum canis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Wood’s lamp examination, microscopic identification, and fungal culture are the conventional clinical diagnostic methods, while PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) and qPCR (Quantitative PCR) are playing an increasingly important role in the identification of dermatophytes. However, none of these methods could be applied to point-of-care testing (POCT). The recent development of the CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) based diagnostic platform promises a rapid, accurate, and portable diagnostic tool. In this paper, we present a Cas12a-fluorescence assay to detect and differentiate the main dermatophytes in clinical samples with high specificity and sensitivity. The Cas12a-based assay was performed with a combination of recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). The results could be directly visualized by naked eyes under blue light, and all tested samples were consistent with fungal culture and sequencing results. Compared with traditional methods, the RPA-Cas12a-fluorescence assay requires less time (about 30 min) and less complicated equipment, and the visual changes can be clearly observed with naked eyes, which is suitable for on-site clinical diagnosis.

Dermatophytes in Cats without Dermatopathies in the Metropolitan Area of Florianópolis, Brazil

Background: Dermatophytes are infectious agents responsible for dermatophytosis, an important worldwide zoonosis. Cats are considered potential hosts and reservoir of these fungi, especially Microsporum canis. The prevalence in cats without dermatopathies varies according to the region, climate and animal husbandry. The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of dermatophytes in cats without clinical signs of dermatopathy in the Metropolitan Area of Florianópolis, situated in the coast of Southern Brazil.Materials, Methods & Results: A total of 198 samples were obtained from cats without dermatopathies domiciled in the metropolitan area of Florianópolis. The collections were made through vigorous hair brushing throughout the body of the animal, using a sterile toothbrush. Mycological culture was performed onto Sabouraud Agar Chloramphenicol-Cyclohexamide (SCC), and incubated at 25-27°C for 21-28 days. The diagnosis was based on the macro and micromorphological characteristics of the isolated dermatophyte. One hundred and ten samples (55.6%) were collected in veterinary clinics and 88 (44.4%) in multiple household cats (average 11). The frequency of dermatophytes corresponded to 3.0% (6/198). Only the genus Microsporum was observed with predominance of M. canis (66.7%), followed by M. gypseum (33.3%). Saprotrophic fungi were observed in 94.4% of the cultures and 5.6% of the samples did not occurred fungal growth. Most of the isolates were obtained from adult cats (66.7%), females (83.3%) and with long hair (5.4%) in comparison to short hair samples (2.1%). Thirty percent of the cats (59/198) had been tested for retroviruses, and, among them, 27.0% were positive (22% FeLV and 5% FIV). M. gypseum was isolated from one feline FeLV positive. Various saprotrophic species were isolated from multiple household cats.Discussion: Dermatophytosis is considered as the most common occupational zoonosis among veterinarians, and it is recognized as a biological risk associated to the direct contact with cats. There are reports of regional outbreaks in Brazil where the pets were indicated as sources of dermatophytes to humans in the domestic environment. The frequency of dermatophytes observed in this study (3.0%) was lower than shown in others papers. Microsporum canis is commonly isolated from cats in hot weather regions and crowded living facilities; once introduced in to the creation on a cattery it is difficult to be eliminated. There is evidence of a higher occurrence of M. canis in cats FIV positive than seronegative ones. Dermatophytes were isolated from cats in contact with other cats (5/165). However, multiple household cats had no positive cultures and this outcome can be associated to high contamination by saprotrophic fungi. For diagnosis of dermatophytosis, mycological culture is indicated as the most efficient and easy to perform method, but it is necessary to be aware of false negative results, since it can occur in situations of intense contamination. Thus, it is advisable to prophylactically perform a clinical examination as a routine and also laboratory analyses in each cat before introducing it to a new environment.

Isolation of dermatophytes from 50 asymptomatic domestic cats treated at the Federal University of Mato Grosso Veterinary – Hospital in Cuiabá, MT

Dermatophytosis, commonly known as ringworm, is a zoonotic disease caused by complex fungi that grow as hyphae and attach to the skin, hair and nails or claws. About 40 species of fungi of the genera Microsporum spp., Trichophyton spp. and Epidermophyton spp. are considered dermatophytes, and Microsporum canis is the genus most commonly isolated from cats. This study investigated the occurrence of dermatophytes in cats without clinical signs of skin diseases. The study involved the physical examination of 50 clinically healthy cats and the collection of samples for direct examination and fungal culture at a university veterinary hospital. The resulting data were evaluated by the chi-square association test. Of the 50 cats, 11 (22%) presented dermatophytes, with a predominance of Microsporum spp. The other 39 animals were diagnosed for non-dermatophytic fungi. Sex, breed and the presence of contactants showed no statistical difference, although there was a predominance of adult animals. The high dermatophyte infection rate confirms that cats without clinical signs can harbor these fungi, acting as asymptomatic carriers, contaminating the environment and increasing the infection rate. This study confirms that cats without clinical signs can be carriers of ringworm, which underscores the importance of the adoption of control methods even for clinically healthy animals.

P‐10 Comparison of carpet and toothbrush methods for the detection of asymptomatic carriage of dermatophytes in cats

Diagnosis of Microsporum canis infection is a challenge in cats with suspected asymptomatic carriage. The aim of this study was to compare the carpet method and the toothbrush method of sample collection for dermatophyte culture. The study was conducted on apparently healthy cats in a chronically infected cattery. Sampling was performed with both a sterilized piece of carpet and a toothbrush applied to the entire body surface. Samples were inoculated on Sabouraud's media (with chloramphenicol and cycloheximide). Multiple (6) applications with the toothbrush were necessary to obtain a similar surface area of inoculation. Cultures were incubated at 27°C, then examined from day 5 to 21 for the presence and number of colonies of M. canis and other fungi. Some samples were inoculated twice (initially negative or with a low number of M.canis). A total of 112 cultures were performed (14 duplicates) from 44 cats. On day 21, infection was detected in 23 cats (54.7%): 20 (87%) with the carpet method and 21 (91%) with the toothbrush method. None of the replicated cultures allowed the detection of new cases but three were subsequently negative. In eight cases, only one to six colonies of M. canis were obtained. Both methods used are easy to perform on cats and have a similar sensitivity of approximately 90%. The carpet method is, however, much less expensive, easier to prepare, mail, store and inoculate. The lack of growth in some duplicate cultures (initial development of one or two colonies) may explain the limits of diagnosis of infection and justify the need for multiple inoculations of agar with the toothbrush method. Funding: Self‐funded.

Itraconazole: a treatment with pharmacokinetic foundations

ItrafungolTM is a 10 mg/mL oral solution with the triazole itraconazole as active ingredient. It has recently been authorized in the UK, as a first country, for treatment of Microsporum canis dermatophytes in cats. The treatment schedule consisted of daily oral administration of 5 mg/kg body weight for three 1‐week periods, with each week of treatment followed by a week without treatment (following a consecutive week‐on, week‐off schedule). This schedule was designed on the basis of data from pilot trials and was confirmed in two specific trials in naturally‐infected cats. Clinical and mycological cures were monitored. In the second trial, plasma levels of itraconazole and its active metabolite, hydroxy‐itraconazole, were also assayed. Itraconazole is a very lipophilic compound that is readily distributed to fat tissue and sebaceous glands. It is also keratinophilic and accumulates in the stratum corneum of the skin and in hairs. These properties make it readily available at the site of infection. Itraconazole is metabolized into many metabolites of which only hydroxy‐itraconazole is antifungal. Plasma and hair levels of itraconazole and its active metabolite were determined in a separate trial in 24 cats after administration of ItrafungolTM at the recommended treatment schedule. Samples were analysed by HPLC. Both compounds were rapidly detectable. Repeated administration for 1 week resulted in mean peak plasma levels of 1.05 μg/mL at 1 h after the last dose of the week. Plasma concentrations dropped slowly during the week without treatment to around the quantification limit (5 ng/mL) just before the start of the second and third treatment periods. During these periods, there was a 20–30% increase of the 24‐h plasma concentrations towards the end of these periods. Median concentration of itraconazole in hair samples of these cats was 0.168 μg/g 24 h after the first dose. There was a clear increase of the median hair concentration after 1 week of treatment to 1.17 μg/g. At the end of the second period, the median concentration was 2.00 μg/g, and was 2.99 μg/g at the end of the third period. At the end of each of the intermittent periods without treatment, hair concentrations dropped 25–30% to median values of 0.8–1.5 μg/g. Two weeks after the last dose of the full treatment schedule, median hair concentrations were still 1.5 μg/g. Although hair concentrations of hydroxy‐itraconazole were below the quantification limit during the first and second treatment periods, they were quantifiable in an increasing number of hairs after the last period, with concentrations between 0.058 and 0.186 μg/g. Concentrations of both compounds together, and even itraconazole alone, are well above the MIC90 for Microsporum canis strains (0.1 μg/mL in various broth media) very shortly after the first dose and for up to 2 weeks after the last one. These data illustrate that the recommended treatment schedule (3 × 7 days of dosing) provides actual coverage of at least 7 weeks. Funding: Janssen Animal Health.