Methylene blue-mediated antimicrobial photodynamic therapy for canine dermatophytosis caused by Microsporum canis: a successful case report with 6 months follow-up.

Abstract

Dermatophytosis is a superficial skin infection that widely affects companion animals. Miscrosporum canis is one of the most prevalent species isolated from dogs and cats, and because of the serious zoonotic potential, short-term treatment regimens are preferred to prevent the spread of disease either by direct contact or through contamination of the environment. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) has emerged as a promising strategy able to kill effectively a wide range of pathogens in a short period without promoting side effects. In this case report, a 7-year-old male dog was diagnosed with dermatophytosis caused by M. canis. Methylene blue-mediated antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (MB-APDT) was applied over the lesions in two sessions with an interval of 7 days. The dog was successfully healed, achieving a complete clinical cure after 21 days, without reports of recurrence after a follow-up period of 6 months. Therefore, MB-APDT could be a potential ally of small animal clinicians to treat superficial fungal diseases and should be further explored in Veterinary Medicine.