Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Malassezia yeast more common on skin of seborrhoeic Devon Rex cats
By Ahman, S et al.·Published in Medical mycology·2007·Barton Veterinary Hospital, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Carriage of Malassezia spp. yeasts in healthy and seborrhoeic Devon Rex cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that both healthy and seborrheic (oily) Devon Rex cats often carry a type of yeast called Malassezia on their skin and in their claws. The seborrheic cats had significantly higher amounts of this yeast compared to healthy ones, particularly in areas like the armpits and groin. This suggests that while some yeast is normal, the higher levels in seborrheic cats could be linked to skin issues. Further research is needed to understand if these yeast levels are causing any problems for the affected cats.
People also search for: Devon Rex cat skin problems · seborrheic dermatitis in cats · Malassezia yeast treatment for cats
Abstract
Skin and anal mucosal carriage of Malassezia spp. yeasts was investigated in 21 healthy Devon Rex cats (DRC) and in 9 seborrhoeic DRC using swabs and contact plates. M. pachydermatis was isolated from 26 cats and lipid-dependent Malassezia spp. isolates were recovered from the claw fold of 5 healthy and 3 seborrhoeic DRC. The frequencies of isolation and population sizes of M. pachydermatis in the axillae, left groin and claw fold in seborrhoeic DRC significantly exceeded (P<0.05) those of healthy animals. The frequencies of isolation and population sizes of M. pachydermatis in the axillae and groin in both groups of DRC, and the frequencies of isolation and population sizes of M. pachydermatis in the claw fold of the seborrhoeic DRC, exceeded those of healthy Domestic short-haired cats. Using polymerase chain reaction--restriction enzyme analyses (PCR-REA) based on amplification of the large subunit rRNA gene, all eight lipid-dependent isolates had profiles that were indistinguishable from that of M. slooffiae CBS 7956. These data indicate that DRC are frequently colonized by M. pachydermatis and that the claw folds may also be colonized by M. slooffiae. The pathogenic significance of the high Malassezia spp. counts in the seborrhoeic DRC should now be determined.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17654272/