Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Nannizzia incurvata fungus causing skin infection in dogs and cats
By Bescrovaine, Jéssica de Oliveira et al.·Published in Medical mycology·2023·Department of Basic Pathology, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Nannizzia species causing dermatophytosis in cats and dogs: First report of Nannizzia incurvata as an etiological agent in Brazil.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that a type of fungus called Nannizzia, which can cause skin infections in pets, was identified in both dogs and cats in Brazil. Out of 163 dogs and 78 cats tested, 14 had dermatophytosis (a fungal skin infection), with Nannizzia being present in a small number of cases. Specifically, 10% of the infected dogs had Nannizzia incurvata, marking the first time this fungus has been reported in pets in Brazil. Treatment typically involves antifungal medications, and early diagnosis is key to managing the infection effectively.
People also search for: cat skin infection treatment · dog fungal infection symptoms · Nannizzia incurvata in pets
Abstract
Dermatophytosis is a superficial cutaneous infection, most commonly caused by fungal species such as Microsporum canis, Nannizzia gypsea (Microsporum gypseum), and Trichophyton mentagrophytes in dogs and cats. The zoonotic potential of these species is concerning, as companion animals are increasingly close to their owners. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to evaluate the current prevalence of Nannizzia-causing canine and feline dermatophytosis in Curitiba and Metropolitan Region, as well as perform phenotypic and phylogenetic characterizations of these isolates. Thus, 241 skin and fur samples from 163 dogs and 78 cats were analyzed from 2020 to 2021. The samples were obtained from animals of three sources: Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Paraná, animal shelters, and private clinics. The diagnosis was performed through phenotypic characterization and sequencing ITS rDNA region. Among 97 positive samples for dermatophytes, Nannizzia was identified in 14 (14.4%) samples, while other dermatophyte genera were found in the remaining 83 (85.6%) samples. Among the canine samples, nine (90%) were N. gypsea, and one (10%) was N. incurvata. Whereas in feline samples, three (75%) were N. gypsea, and one (25%) was N. incurvata. It was concluded that among 97 animals infected with dermatophytes, dogs (24.4%; 10/41) were significantly more affected by Nannizzia than cats (7.1%; 4/56) (P < .05). According to molecular analyses, the ITS rDNA region provided satisfactory results for species-level identification of Nannizzia, confirming the first report of N. incurvata as an etiological agent of canine and feline dermatophytosis in Brazil.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37804177/