Fungal Infestation Research Articles

Essential Oils as Natural Biocides in Conservation of Cultural Heritage.

Essential oils (EOs) have been known for a long time, and they are used in several fields such as medicine and aromatherapy, as well as in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In the last decade, EOs have also been applied to contrast the biodeterioration of cultural heritage, representing a powerful resource in green conservation strategies. In this study, an integrated approach based on microscopic observation, in vitro culture, and molecular investigation was preliminarily employed to identify biological systems colonizing wooden artworks. In order to contrast the biodeterioration processes induced by fungal colonization (Aspergillus flavus) or insect infestation (Anobium punctatum), wooden artworks were exposed to the volatile compound of Origanum vulgare or Thymus vulgaris essential oils (EOs), the chemical composition of which was determined by GC–MS using both polar and apolar columns. Artwork exposure was performed in ad-hoc-assembled “clean chambers.” Evaluating the effects on biological systems, the compatibility with artwork constitutive materials, and the lack of negative effects on human health and environmental pollution, the use of EOs as a valid alternative to traditional biocides must be considered.

Corn seed stored by loss of dry matters caused by fungi and insects infestation

When stored in the field, which is the time in which the seeds remain in the field after the physiological maturation, it can result in both qualitative and quantitative losses. These losses may become significant during the storage in storage units due to mainly being directly related to insect and fungal infestation. In this context, the objective of the work was to verify the performed treatments in the seeds during the storage in two types of materials to prepare the samples to analyze of the dry matter losses. The methodology followed the same one used by Neves & Savelli, (2017) except for the percentage calculation of insect and fungal infestation.It was concluded that: there were differences in dry matter losses in the different packages, and in a four-month storage the losses were higher.

Identification and Characterization of Potential Biocide-Resistant Fungal Strains from Infested Leathers

This study is aimed at identification of biocide tolerant/resistant fungal strains afflicting the leather industry. Fungal infestation occurs sometimes despite biocide treatment during leather processing. This persistent growth can be due to the development of biocide resistance which can lead to health hazards and economic loss. As no study has so far been reported to either confirm this or to identify such fungal strains, a systematic approach has been made in this study to address these aspects. Fungal strains were collected from infested leathers from tanneries to identify biocide resistant fungal strains afflicting leather industry. Phenotypic characterization revealed Aspergillus as the most dominant with 58% occurrence. Ten isolates were subjected to 18s rRNA sequencing and four strains were identified as Aspergillus niger. An in-vitro susceptibility to four leather fungicides was assessed to identify the biocide tolerant strains. S-6 A. niger strain was found to be the most tolerant as evidenced by high MIC (7.81µg ml-1) against the most effective biocide, 2-(thiocyanomethylthio) benzothiazole. In-vivo studies on chrome-tanned leathers also confirmed this finding. SEM studies revealed considerable morphological changes in S-6 compared to wild strain providing further evidence that it may have developed biocide resistance.

Postharvest Fungicide for Avocado Fruits: Antifungal Efficacy and Peel to Pulp Distribution Kinetics.

Postharvest application of fungicides is commonly applied in order to reduce food loss. Prochloraz is currently the only postharvest fungicide registered in Israel and Europe in avocado fruits. Due to its unfavorable toxicological properties, prochloraz will be banned from the end of 2020 for future postharvest usage and therefore a substitute candidate is urgently warranted. Fludioxonil, a relatively safe, wide spectrum fungicide, is approved in Europe and Israel for postharvest use in various fruits, but not avocado. Hence, fludioxonil has been evaluated in the present study as a potential substitute for prochloraz in avocado. The objectives of the present study were to determine fludioxonil efficacy against common fungal infestations in avocado and distribution kinetics between peel and pulp in comparison to prochloraz. At the same concentration range (75–300 µg/L), fludioxonil was as effective as prochloraz in inhibiting postharvest decay, while in the early season cultivars, suffering mainly from stem-end rot, it exhibited a better decay control than prochloraz. Fludioxonil and prochloraz displayed negligible and undetected pulp levels, respectively, due to low peel penetrability. Taken altogether, fludioxonil was found to be a suitable candidate for replacing prochloraz as a postharvest fungicide in avocado.

Invasive Fungal Rhinosinusitis in Pediatric Populations; a Tertiary Hospital Experience

Fungal infection is a well-known and a common cause of sinusitis. Fungal sinusitis is classified into two main categories based on histopathological invasion as: invasive and non-invasive, the invasive form includes acute, chronic, and chronic granulomatous, while the non-invasive include: fungal ball, saprophytic fungal infestation, eosinophilic fungal sinusitis and allergic fungal sinusitis. Usually, Invasive fungal sinusitis is encountered in immunocompromised patients. However, there are many reports which have described these cases with immunocompetent individuals. The purpose of this review article is to summarize our long experience with pediatric patients diagnosed with invasive fungal sinusitis managed at a tertiary referral hospital at King Fahad Specialist Hospital Dammam, KSA and discuss the management and determine the variables that impact the outcome.

Effects of Farmers’ Practices on Maize (<i>Zea mays</i>) Contamination by Potential Aflatoxigenic Fungi and Aflatoxin in Benue State, Nigeria

Aflatoxin associated with a number of cereals and legumes is estimated to increase the chances of developing primary liver cancer in 152.7 and 61.1 cancer/year/100,000 population of infants and children, respectively in Nigeria. This study was carried out to assess the implications of some agronomic practices on the infestation of aflatoxigenic fungi and total aflatoxin in maize produce in Benue State. Two maize sample types (Pre-harvest and Post-harvest) collected from 3 locations in Benue State were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar for fungi isolation and identification. Moisture content and total aflatoxin concentration were determined (ELISA method) in both pre-harvest oven dried and farmer’s post-harvest sun dried samples. Information on agronomic practices was obtained with the aid of questionnaire. T-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data with confident levels set at 95%. Overall, 5 mould genera were identified: Aspergillus (44.0%), Fusarium (24.44%), Botryodiplodia (17.78%), Rhizopus (15.56%) and Penicillium (4.44%). Moisture content of oven dried samples was significantly less than that of farmers sun dried samples (t = 10.45, P < 0.001). Similarly, a significant difference in total aflatoxin concentration was recorded between farmers sun dried and oven dried samples (t = 2.37, P = 0.03). Half of the farmer’s sun dried samples had aflatoxin concentration above the recommended EU (4 ug/Kg) limit, but none of the pre-harvest oven dried samples exceeded EU limits. Maize samples from fertilized farms were more likely than non-fertilized farms to have higher aflatoxin concentration (P = 0.002). Similarly, Maize seeds purchase from the open market were more likely than seeds from previous harvest to be contaminated with aflatoxin (P = 0.003). The study advocates rapid drying of timely harvested maize so as to reduce or stop the action of heavy field fungi contaminants as well as aflatoxin accumulation.

Comparative Study of Underground Pit Grain Storage System through Use of Different Lining Materials

Sorghum occupies highest area of cultivation in East and West Hararghe of Ethiopia. Farmers in the area are poor and do not afford an advanced storage systems. Hence, storage is done mainly in underground pit storage with different lining materials. This study was therefore aimed at evaluating those different lining materials in maintaining the sorghum quality. Four different lining materials which are commonly used by the farmers (mud/straw/cow dung mixture (3:3:1 ratio), plastic (thick rubberized canvas), chaff and cement) were used. Ten pits (duplicated), flask shaped with 1 m depth and 1 m diameter with a capacity of about two quintals (200 kg) were constructed. The finding in this comparative study is that, among all underlining materials, underground pit with plastic lining material was good barrier compared to all linings. Moisture migration to the grain increased in each month in all lining materials and the least was recorded in plastic lining. Germination capacity and thousand grain weight were reduced significantly in each material except plastic lining which showed the least change compared to the others. Fungi infestation was also increased in all underground pits with different lining materials. However, lower infestation was found in plastic and cement linings. Based on the quality measurements, plastic lining showed the least change in grain quality compared to the others. It can be concluded that, since the farmers can’t afford advanced storage system, it can be recommended to use plastic lining material among the existing lining materials.

Monitoring fungus infestation of common beech wood using terahertz radiation

Abstract Wood is one of the most widely used materials for construction projects, in the furniture industry, as well as in the field of cultural property of valuable objects. Terahertz (THz) radiation has great potential for non-contact and non-destructive analysis of wooden materials. This article reports a study of the degree of growth of Trametes versicolor in wood samples, using THz radiation. The analysis compares the THz results to microscopic examinations of the samples, common beech incubated with T. versicolor, at different growth times. The results indicate a strong correlation between the parameters extracted from THz measurements and the progress of the fungal infestation, suggesting that THz imaging may be a valuable tool for non-contact inspection of wood.

Fabrication, characterization and practical efficacy of Myristica fragrans essential oil nanoemulsion delivery system against postharvest biodeterioration.

The present study deals with encapsulation of Myristica fragrans essential oil (MFEO) into chitosan nano-matrix, their characterization and assessment of antimicrobial activity, aflatoxin inhibitory potential, safety profiling and in situ efficacy in stored rice as environment friendly effective preservative to control the postharvest losses of food commodities under storage. Surface morphology of MFEO-chitosan nanoemulsion as well as encapsulation of MFEO was confirmed through SEM, FTIR and XRD analysis. In vitro release characteristics with biphasic burst explained controlled volatilization from nanoencapsulated MFEO. Unencapsulated MFEO exhibited fungitoxicity against 15 food borne molds and inhibited aflatoxin B1 secretion by toxigenic Aspergillus flavus LHP R14 strain. In contrast, nanoencapsulated MFEO showed better fungitoxicity and inhibitory effect on aflatoxin biosynthesis at lower doses. In situ efficacy of unencapsulated and nanoencapsulated MFEO on stored rice seeds exhibited effective protection against fungal infestation, aflatoxin B1 contamination, and lipid peroxidation. Both the unencapsulated and nanoencapsulated MFEO did not affect the germination of stored rice seeds confirming non-phytotoxic nature. In addition, negligible mammalian toxicity of unencapsulated MFEO (LD50=14,289.32μL/kg body weight) and MFEO loaded chitosan nanoemulsion (LD50=9231.89μL/kg body weight) as revealed through favorable safety profile recommend the industrial significance of nanoencapsulated MFEO as an effective green alternative to environmentally hazardous synthetic pesticides for protection of food commodities during storage.

Impact of climate change on community health and resilience in Ethiopia: A review article.

Drought is a serious issue which might be caused by climate change that could create famine and health problems. Drought reduces air quality, increases fungal infestation, reduces people hand washing, affects mental health, leads to malnutrition by decreasing agricultural production, and increases diseases transmitted by insects. This study aimed to determine and describe community health status through building drought resilience in Ethiopia. This review was conducted based on the available peer-reviewed articles that were published from January 2004 to December 2018 Online databases from PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE and Google Scholar were searched for studies related to the building drought and community health resilience at different regions of Ethiopia that were published in English language. The search was made by using "Emergency disaster", "prevention", "preparedness", "response", "recovery", "drought", "food insecurity", "coping strategies" and "drought health policy" as keywords. Most of the reviewed articles deal with the impact of climate change on the human health in relation to food security. The associated factors of the impact of drought on food security is basically due to lack of irrigation and farmland, the scarcity of water due to the direct effect of drought, flood, severe soil erosion, livestock dispossession, family size of the household and literacy of the households. Various coping strategies were employed by the households to alleviate the high and continued food insecurity problem such as reducing the number and amount of meal, scrounging cash and grain, searching for off-farm and non-farm jobs, getting food aid, vending of livestock, and partake in food for work programs. The findings explored components of the coping strategies to the building resilience create fruitful health conditions for the food insecure household. The effect of agricultural support services as reliance's on drought and community health situation was regarded as a positive outcome. Moreover, the means to get adequate food security strategies in all regions of Ethiopia should be designed. Furthermore, future researches are recommended for finding the best building strategies for each region of Ethiopia.

Infestation mechanisms of two woodborer species in the mangrove Sonneratia albaJ. Smith in Kenya and co-occurring endophytic fungi.

Insect damage on trees can severely affect the quality of timber, reduce the fecundity of the host and render it susceptible to fungal infestation and disease. Such pathology weakens or eventually kills the host. Infestation by two insect woodborer species (a moth and a beetle) is causing mortality of Sonneratia alba, a wide-ranging pioneer mangrove species of the Indo-Pacific. Establishing the infestation mechanism of the two insect woodborer species is an initial and essential step towards understanding their ecological role in the mangroves and in determining sustainable management priorities and options. Our main objectives were to investigate the infestation mechanism employed by the two insect woodborers which infest S. alba trees, to establish the occurrence of secondary infestation by endophytic fungi in the infested S. alba branches, and to explore a control management option to the woodborer infestation. We conducted an external inspection of infested branches in two large embayments in Kenya, Gazi Bay and Mida Creek, and by splitting infested branches we determined the respective internal infestation mechanisms. Infested wood samples from Gazi Bay and Mida Creek were incubated at 28±1°C for 3–5 days to establish the presence of fungi. A survey was conducted in both Gazi Bay and Mida Creek to ascertain the presence of ants on S. alba. The infestation characteristics of the two insect woodborer species were different. It took 6–8 months for the beetle to kill a branch of 150 cm—200 cm long. For the moth to kill a branch, it depended upon several factors including the contribution by multiple species, other than the moth infestation alone. A total of 15 endophytic fungal species were identified. Two ant species Oecophylla longipoda and a Pheidole sp. inhabited 62% and 69% respectively of sampled S. alba trees in Gazi Bay whereas only Pheidole sp. inhabited 17% of the sampled S. alba trees in Mida Creek. In summary, we have documented the time it takes each woodborer species to kill a branch, the infestation mechanism of the two insect woodborers, and we hypothesized on the role of two ant species. The presence of several different fungal species was ascertained, and we discussed their possible role in the infested wood. Our results cannot unambiguously associate the woodborers and identified fungi. We recommend further studies to investigate the presence or absence, and if present, the nature of fungi in the gut of the woodborers.

Skin diseases in rural Nyala, Sudan (in a rural hospital, in 12 orphanages, and in two refugee camps).

Skin diseases are considered to be common in Nyala, Sudan. This study was carried out to verify the prevalence of skin diseases in Nyala. This prospective observational study included skin examination of a total of 1802 people: 620 patients who were evaluated in the outpatient clinics (OC) and 1182 people from orphanages and refugee camps (ORC) in Nyala, Sudan. χ2 test was used. The total prevalence of skin disorders in the sample was 92.6% (1670/1802). One thousand and fifty of 1182 (88.8%) people from ORC had a skin disorder. The most common skin diseases in this community were: fungal infections (32.6%), dermatitis/eczema (10.5%), bacterial skin infections (10.3%), disorders of skin appendages (8.7%), parasitic infestations (7.7%), atrophic skin disorders (7.4%), disorders of pigmentation (7.4%), hypertrophic skin disorders (6.4%), viral infections (5.8), benign neoplasm (1.9%), dermatoses due to animal injury (0.4%), bullous dermatoses (0.1%), and malignant neoplasm (0.1%). Hypertrophic and atrophic disorders of the skin were mainly lesions of scarification (mostly atrophic) (5.7%) and keloids (5.6%). Fungal infection, bacterial infection, and parasitic infestation were more common in the ORC group, while dermatitis and eczema, disorders of skin appendages, hypertrophic and atrophic disorders of the skin, disorders of pigmentation, and benign neoplasm were more common in the OC group. The prevalence of skin diseases in the rural Nyala was more than our expectation and was dominated by infectious skin diseases. In addition, infectious skin diseases were more common in ORC rather than OC.

Decoding Wheat Endosphere-Rhizosphere Microbiomes in Rhizoctonia solani-Infested Soils Challenged by Streptomyces Biocontrol Agents.

The endosphere and the rhizosphere are pertinent milieus with microbial communities that perturb the agronomic traits of crop plants through beneficial or detrimental interactions. In this study, we challenged these communities by adding Streptomyces biocontrol strains to wheat seeds in soils with severe Rhizoctonia solani infestation. Wheat plants were grown in a glasshouse standardized system, and the bacterial and fungal microbiomes of 233 samples of wheat roots (endosphere) and rhizosphere soils were monitored for 20 weeks, from seed to mature plant stage. The results showed highly dynamic and diverse microbial communities that changed over time, with Sphingomonas bacteria and Aspergillus, Dipodascus, and Trichoderma fungi increasing over time. Application of biocontrol Streptomyces strains promoted plant growth and maturation of wheat heads and modulated the root microbiome, decreasing Paenibacillus and increasing other bacterial and fungal OTUs. The soils with the highest levels of R. solani had increased reads of Thanatephorus (Rhizoctonia anamorph) and increased root disease levels and increased Balneimonas, Massilia, Pseudomonas, and unclassified Micrococcaceae. As we enter the era of biologically sustainable agriculture, it may be possible to reduce and limit the effects of serious fungal infestations by promoting a beneficial microbiome through the application of biocontrol agents during different periods of plant development.

Antifungal efficacy of neem leaves (Azadirachta indica) and mahagony fruit bark (Swietenia mahagoni) extracts on leather shoes

The natural fungicide has been successfully extracted from neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves and mahagony (Swietenia Mahagoni) fruit bark by a solvent extraction method. The antifungal efficacy was evaluated by the application of extract to the fungal-killing on cultured-fungus in Petri-plate and shoes. The fungus was isolated from the shoe and cultured in Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) plate of 100 mm size petri dish. Different dosing of neem and mahagony extract was applied on the fungus culture and measured the area of fungus killing as an antifungal efficacy of the extracts by “Leaf Area Counter” software. The maximum fungus killing efficacy was optimized. The optimum dosing of neem leaves and mahagony bark extracts were found 0.6 gm/5ml and 0.8 gm/5ml, respectively. After that, the optimum doses of natural fungicide were mixed with commercial shoe shiner and cultured the fungus in SDA plate with and without fungicides. Fungicides containing shoe shiner was an inhibitor to grow the fungus, whereas fungus was grown in fungicides-free shoe shiner within three days. We observed the fungicides-containing shoe-shiner treated dish for a period of one month and found that there was no fungus growth at all. The present findings indicated the possible use of neem and mahagony fruits-bark extract as a natural antifungal agent against post-harvest fungal infestation of shoe commodities and prevented the fungus contamination.&#x0D; Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res.54(3), 257-262, 2019

Antimicrobial activity, antiaflatoxigenic potential and in situ efficacy of novel formulation comprising of Apium graveolens essential oil and its major component

The present study reports the formulation of Apium graveolens essential oil (AGEO) with its major components linalyl acetate (LA) and geranyl acetate (GA) (1:1:1) as a novel green preservative for protection of postharvest food commodities from fungal infestations, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) secretion, free radical generation and lipid peroxidation. The essential oil based novel formulation displayed considerable inhibitory action against fourteen food borne molds responsible for deterioration of stored food commodities, in addition to the most toxigenic strain of Aspergillus flavus (AFLHPR14) isolated from fungal and aflatoxin contaminated rice seeds. The observed higher efficacy of designed formulation was due to the synergistic action of essential oil and its major components. Fungal plasma membrane was recorded as the possible target site of antifungal action of the formulation as revealed through reduction in membrane ergosterol content, increased intracellular propidium iodide (PI) fluorescence and enhanced leakage of cellular ions (sodium, potassium, calcium) and 260, 280 nm absorbing materials. Further, inhibition of methylglyoxal (an aflatoxin inducer) confirmed the aflatoxin inhibitory potential of novel formulation based on essential oil and its major components. High antioxidant potential as observed through DPPH and ABTS·+ radical scavenging assay, improved phenolic content, considerable inhibition of lipid peroxidation in stored rice seeds, in situ efficacy on AFB1 inhibition in food system under storage container system, acceptable sensorial characteristics and favorable safety profile during animal trials suggest the recommendation of the designed formulation for large scale application as green preservative by food and agriculture based industries against fungal and aflatoxin contamination of stored commodities.

Dynamics of phytosterol degradation in a bulk of rapeseed stored under different temperature and humidity conditions

Improper rapeseed preservation and storage after harvest may contribute to a reduction of phytosterol contents in the seeds. The aim of the study was to investigate the dynamics of phytosterol degradation in bulks of rapeseed stored under various temperature and water activity conditions. In the experiments a hazardous level of fungal infestation was considered to reflect the population of fungi colonizing seeds during vegetation and harvest at adverse weather conditions. Changes in phytosterol contents intensified with the increase in storage temperature and water activity in seeds. The temperature in the range of 12–24 °C and water activity in seeds aw = 0.75–0.76 significantly limited phytosterol degradation (6.5% and 8% after 48 and 72 days of storage), whereas in seeds with aw = 0.90 stored at 30 °C major phytosterol losses were observed (61% after 48 days of storage). Among the identified phytosterols the pattern of changes in campesterol content was similar to that for β-sitosterol, whereas brassicasterol degradation proceeded similarly as the reduction in avenasterol and stigmasterol levels. The degradation of stigmasterol, brassicasterol and avenasterol was more rapid than that of campesterol and β-sitosterol. Correlation analysis showed that acid value and seed germination may be used as predictive factors for phytosterol degradation. The correlation between the fungal population and phytosterol concentration was found only in seed samples, in which a substantial mould activity was observed (aw ≥ 0.80 at t = 24-30 °C and aw ≥ 0.86 at t = 12-18 °C). The results provide useful quality control points, which may be used to improve the existing postharvest management systems of rapeseed preservation and storage.

South American Nothochrysinae (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae): II. Redescription of Leptochrysaprisca Adams & Penny.

Leptochrysa Adams & Penny is one of four genera of Nothochrysinae recorded from the New World. Previously, this genus and its only described species, Leptochrysaprisca Adams & Penny, were known from a single female specimen that is discolored and damaged by fungal infestation. Thus, accurate information on the taxon was limited mostly to the wings and some other external features. Here, I describe a recently collected, second female specimen with the goal of providing images of the adult coloration and elucidating characters (especially the female genitalia) that were unavailable earlier. Some variation between the two known specimens is also noted and used in interpreting venation characters. Finally, comparisons are made with other extant genera pertaining to the placement of the species within Chrysopidae.

A rapid and reliable method for the specific detection of aflatoxigenic fungi in groundnut and rice samples

Aflatoxin contamination is a serious food safety and economic concern for the agriculture and processing industry throughout the world. Aflatoxins are the most potent carcinogens; therefore, an early detection of aflatoxin‐producing fungi is essential for ensuring food safety. In the present work, a rapid and sensitive PCR method for the detection of potential aflatoxin‐producing molds in groundnut and rice samples was developed. This PCR assay can detect the aflatoxigenic fungi in the contaminated samples directly without the need of fungal enrichment. The results showed a specific PCR amplification product in aflatoxigenic fungi (Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus) contaminated groundnut and rice samples even at a low spore count. In contrast, no amplification products were observed in nonaflatoxigenic fungi (Aspergillus oryzae) contaminated samples as well as in healthy groundnut and rice samples. Quantification of aflatoxins for the validation corelated well with the amplified DNA bands for aflatoxigenic fungal samples. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The present paper describes a rapid and reliable PCR method for the detection of potential aflatoxin‐producing molds in groundnut and rice samples. The developed method is sensitive and rapid, as it detects the aflatoxigenic fungi in the contaminated samples directly without the need of fungal enrichment. The developed method is sensitive because this process detects the fungal infestation at a concentration as low as 10² spores/g. This method can be used to detect the presence of aflatoxigenic fungi specifically, even before the production of aflatoxin to ensure food safety.

PENGARUH BENTUK IRISAN SINGKONG TERHADAP KARAKTERISTIK PENGERINGAN

Cassava is one type of tuber that is very famous in Indonesia. Cassava in a state of fresh is easily damaged because it is very sensitive to the infestation of fungi and other microbes. Therefore it needs further processing, one of them is by drying. Cassava that has dried can be processed into cassava flour. In the drying process, the shape of the slices of cassava will affect the duration of drying, the quality and durability of cassava flour during storage. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to measure the yield of cassava and analyze the effect of cassava slices on drying characteristics. Before drying, cassava is cleaned and peeled. Peeled cassava is sliced in 3 slices, namely an upright circle with a thickness of 0,5 cm (S1), an oblique circle shape with a thickness of 0,5 cm (S2) and a circle shape of 5 cm thickness and then split upright into 8 or 4 parts with a thickness of 0,5 cm (S3). The data taken are peeled cassava, water content, dried cassava, rate of decrease in water content, and visual appearance of cassava drying. Based on the results of the study, the best cassava slices are sliced circle shape (S2) because of the accumulated data, the results obtained from S2 slices show maximum results.

An unusual case of Cheyletiellosis in a Persian cat and its therapeutic management.

A male Persian cat was presented with a history of alopecia at the dorsal tail region, with mildpruritus, flaking of skin and the owner's complaint of pruritus on herself and her family members. All the vital signs of the cat were found within the normal referencerange. Skin scraping and hair samples were found to benegative for Demodex spp. and Sarcoptes spp. of mites, pediculosis and fungal infestation. Physical examination of the whole body revealed absence of fleas or flea eggs. Further,food hypersensitivity was ruled out by gradually changing the previous wheat based diet to a commercial cat food. However, eggs of Cheyletiella spp. were seen on microscopic examination ofskin scraping and the lesions on the owner's body were indicative of infestation by Cheyletiella spp. as it's zoonotic in nature. A treatment protocol was initiated that included Ivermectin and bath with a shampoo containing selenium sulphide. Owners were advised to apply Calamine lotion on their lesions. Both the owner and patient recovered uneventfully 3months post-therapy.