Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Malassezia yeast types on healthy dog skin and in dog eczema
By Kobayashi, Tetsuya et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2011·Department of Pathobiology, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Genotyping of Malassezia pachydermatis isolates from canine healthy skin and atopic dermatitis by internal spacer 1 (IGS1) region analysis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that dogs with atopic dermatitis (a skin allergy condition) often had a specific type of yeast called Malassezia pachydermatis on their skin. In healthy dogs, different subtypes of this yeast were present, but 91% of the yeast from dogs with atopic dermatitis were of the subtype known as 3D. This subtype produced more enzymes that can cause inflammation and thrived in alkaline conditions, leading to waxy skin exudates. Understanding these differences can help veterinarians better diagnose and treat skin issues in dogs.
People also search for: dog skin allergy treatment · Malassezia dermatitis in dogs · why is my dog’s skin waxy
Abstract
Isolates of Malassezia pachydermatis from healthy dog skin and from dogs with atopic dermatitis were molecularly characterized using internal spacer 1 (IGS1) region analyses, and their phospholipase A2 activity and pH growth profiles were then characterized in vitro. The percentage of isolates from healthy dogs that had the following IGS1 subtypes (isotype, %) were as follows: 1A, 6%; 1B, 27%; 1C, 11%; 2A, 6%; 2B, 6%; 3A, 11%; 3C, 3%; and 3D, 24%. In contrast, 9% of isolates from dogs with atopic dermatitis were isotype IB and 91% were isotype 3D, indicating that isolates of subtype 3D were the most prevalent in dogs with atopic dermatitis. Production of phospholipase A2 was statistically higher in isolates of subtype 3D than in the other subtypes. The subtype 3D isolates showed enhanced growth on alkaline medium compared with non-3D subtype isolates. The main clinical sign of canine Malassezia dermatitis is waxy exudates on the skin, which predispose the patient to development of a yeast overgrowth of the subtype 3D. Increased phospholipase A2 production may be involved in the inflammatory process associated with Malassezia dermatitis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21401740/