CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF DERMATOPHYTOSIS AMONG PETS IN THE REGION OF STARA ZAGORA FOR THE PERIOD 2004-2006

The etiological structure of dermatophytoses in pets (dogs and cats) was analyzed using routine mycological techniques. For this purpose, 268 speciments obtained from both dogs and cats with suspected dermatophytoses were investigated. The specimens included crusts, hairs and injured tissues of skin lesions. The mycological study comprised a native microscopy and inoculation on specific nutrient media followed by isolation and species identification. A retrospective analysis was performed on the basis of history, clinical symptoms and the mycological studies. It was found that the presence of positive samples in dogs and cats was 18.6% and 13.2%, respectively. Most commonly, Microsporum canis was isolated in 92.3% of canine and 100% of feline specimens. It was also found that animals aged under 1 year were more susceptible to the examined mycological infections. No significant gender-dependent differences have been observed.

fungi, causing these infections in animals, are known as dermatophytes and belong to the Microsporum and Trichophyton genera.Depending on the main hosts and the natural areal, the various species of both genera are classified as zoophilic, anthropophilic and geophilic.Zoophilic species are always pathogenic for animals, but a large part of them affect people as well.Anthropophilic species infect humans and, more rarely, animals.Geophilic species inhabit the soil and serve as a reservoir of infection for both humans and animals.More than 20 dermatophyte species are described as causing dermatophytosis in cats and dogs Š13¹.The principal agents are M. canis, M. gypseum and T. mentagrophytes Š5, 14¹.In over 95% of cases in cats, M.canis was found to cause dermatophytosis Š10¹.Although this organism is not a natural resident of the feline hair coat Š8¹, it is believed that cats are a natural reservoir for it Š10, 14¹.In dogs, the percentage of dermatophytoses varies from 4 tî 10% Š14¹, but some studies report a higher prevalence Š2, 11¹.In cats, dermatophytosis is encountered almost twice as many times Š14¹.The prevalence of dermatophytosis varies according to the climate, the temperature, the humidity, the rearing, the presence of natural reservoirs of infection Š6¹.
Young animals and especially these under 1 year of age are more frequently affected Š6, 3¹.
The aim of the present study was to determine the etiological structure and some epidemiological parameters of dermatophytosis among dogs and cats in the region of Stara Zagora.

Animals / @ivotinje
For a 2-year period (March 2004 -April 2006) clinical samples were obtained from 268 animals (224 from dogs and 44 from cats) with tentative diagnosis of dermatophytosis and analyzed in our laboratory.The samples were obtained from animals referred to the Clinic of Infectious Diseases or sent by private veterinarians.For each case, the history, clinical signs, age, gender, breed and way of rearing were recorded.

Specimen collection / Sakupljanje uzoraka
The specimens were collected by obtaining epidermal skin scrapes and hairs at the boundary of skin lesions.The sampling areas were previously treated with 70% ethanol.The specimens sent by private veterinary clinics were placed in individual sterile plastic containers.

Materials and methods / Materijal i metode ispitivanja
zoophilic dermatophytes were from the ectothrix type, a part of specimens were studied in paraffin.
The species identification of isolates was done on the basis of macroand micromorphological traits according to Tilton and McGinnis (1987); Rippon (1988).

Statistical analysis / Statisti~ke analize
The data were statistically processed using the c 2 test.Values of P<0.05 were considered as statistically significant.
The investigation included 224 dogs and 44 cats with clinical signs, specific for dermatophytosis.Forty eight animals (17.9%) were positive for dermatophytosis.Dermatophytes were isolated in 42 out of the 224 canine (18.6%) and 6 out of the 44 (13.6%) feline samples (Table 1).The table shows that the prevalence of dermatophytes in animals younger than 1 year of age was higher (P<0.001).No statistically significant differences were observed with regard to positive results, but the highest percentage of positive samples was established in October and November.M.canis was present in 92.3% of canine and 100% of feline samples.In the other canine samples, T. mentagrophytes was recovered.

Results / Rezultati
Investigations on dermatophytosis have been performed in many countries all over the world: Ì.canis, Ò.mentagrophytes and M.gypseum are reported as principal etiological agents in dogs and cats Š8, 7, 14¹.In our studies, we observed M.canis and Tr.mentagrophytes in dogs and only M.canis in cats.These data are in accordance with results obtained in the United Kingdom, where M.canis and Tr.mentagrophytes together account for about 95% îf isolates Š14¹.
In the present study, the percentage of positive results for all studied patients with tentative diagnosis of dermatophytosis, was 17.9%.similar results are reported in the UK Š14¹, Brazil Š2¹.The percentage of positive samples among dogs was 18.6%.This is in disagreement with available literature data, where this percentage ranged between 4 and 10%.In dogs, compared to cats, the prevalence of dermatophytosis is lower Š4, 12¹.This could be explained by the fact that cats are kept individually as pets.Only in one case, where 3 cats shared the same house, the disease was observed in all three after contact with stray cats.Moreover, the infection was also discovered in the owner (Fig. 1).
All these observations point out that stray cats are a natural reservoir of the infection Š9¹ and that M.canis is a highly contagious and infectious agent.

Discussion / Diskusija
There are no statistically significant data about the gender-and breed-related susceptibility, but the incipience of the diseases in animals younger than 1 year is indicative.The high sensitivity of adolescent animals to the infection could be probably due to immune-related factors.
There were no statistically significant data about the seasonal incidence of these infections, but the percentage of positive samples was higher in October and November.This was probably related to recent climatic changes in our country.