Isolation Rates and Carrier State of Dermatophytes, Nondermatophyte Molds, Malassezia Species, and Candida Species in Indoor Dogs and Cats in Daegu

Park, Jeong Young; Shin, Dong Hoon; Choi, Jong Soo; Kim, Ki Hong

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Fungal agents are commonly transmitted from dogs and cats to humans.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the mycoflora of and association of skin diseases in dogs and cats fed as pets indoors.
METHODS
A total of 435 animals (355 dogs and 80 cats) with or without skin lesions were included in the study; these animals lived indoors and had been examined in a veterinary hospital between August 2010 and May 2011. Their hair and scales were obtained using Mackenzie's brush technique, and a mycologic study was performed.
RESULTS
Of the 435 animals examined, 3.2% had dermatophytes (DM), including 1.5% of the dogs with dermatoses (D-dogs), 0.6% of the dogs with normal skin (N-dogs), 43.8% of the cats with dermatoses (D-cats), and 6.3% of the cats with normal skin (N-cats). All the DMs isolated were identified as Microsporum canis. Nondermatophyte molds were isolated from 24.1% of the animals examined, including 19.3% of the D-dogs, 29.7% of the N-dogs, 18.8% of the D-cats, and 26.6% of the N-cats. Of the 435 samples examined, 49.5% yielded Malassezia pachydermatis (Mz. pachydermatis), including those from 58.4% of the D-dogs, 53.8% of the N-dogs, 31.3% of the D-cats, and 17.2% of the N-cats. The prevalence of Mz. pachydermatis infection in dogs aged 6 years and more was higher than that in the other dogs.
CONCLUSION
In this study, the prevalence of DM in dogs and cats was lower than that reported in previous studies. DMs were found in a significantly higher percentage of D-cats (43.8%) than D-dogs (1.5%) (p < .001) and of N-cats (6.3%) than N-dogs (0.6%) (p=0.022). The prevalence of nondermatophyte molds did not significantly differ between dogs and cats with dermatoses or normal skin.