Dermathophytes

Week 10
1. Cutan Mycosis
• Trichophyton Genus
• Microsporium Genus
• Epidermophyton Genus

2. Dermatophilosis
• Dermathophytes are close related fungi that uses keratin to reproduce
• They make infections on superficial regions like, stratum corneum, nails, hairs of both
animals and humans
• Classical lesions are circular lesions called «Ringworm»
• Conventionally dermathophytes are classified as «Fungi Imperfecti», nevertheless some of
them are classified as Ascomycetes because of their known sexual reproduction
• There are more than 38 dermathophyte species
• The ones that effect animals are classified in the genus Microsporum and Trichophyton
 Frequent Dermathophyte Infections

1. Tinea capitis

2. Tinea pedis

3. Tinea corporis

4. Tinea cruris

5. Tinea barbea

6. Tinea ungium
Trichophyton Genus
• In animals, trichophytones lead to dermathomycoses particularly observed on skin, hair and nails
• Some of them are zoonotic
• On solid agars the coloies can be cotton, granular, puffy, mucoid shaped and in different colour
• The macroconidiums are oval, lemon, cigar or cylindirical and contains 2-12 cells. They are rarely
observed as a group
• The microconidiums are one cell, spherical or oval shaped. They can be found on hyphae one by one
or as clusters
• They do not give flourescence under the wood lamb light!!!!
Trichophytones can be classied in two types according to the hair
invasion
1) Ectothrix: The fungal arthropores can be found out of the
hairs not inside
• T. mentagrophytes
• T. equinum
• T. verrucosum
• T. rubrum

2) Endothrix: The fungal arthropores can be found inside of the

hair in parallel or irregularly
• T. tonsurans
• T. violaceum
 Epidemiology

• These kind of infections can be found all over the earth

• Trichophytosis can be spread directly by contact or indirectly between
animals
• The infection is more contogious in especially in winter and in the the
crowded, dirty and moist barns
• Mostly the young animals are effected
 Important Pathogenic Species
• Trichophyton equinum ( Horse, Dog )
• Trichophyton rubrum ( Cow, Dog )
• Trichophyton gallinae ( Chicken, Turkey, Dog )
• Trichophyton soudanese ( Dog, Cat, Monkey )
• Trichophyton megninii ( Horse, Cow, Dog )
• Trichophyton violaceum ( Cow )
• Trichophyton verrucosum ( Cow, Sheep, Horse, Dog )
• Trichophyton concentricum ( Cow, Dog )
• Trichophyton mentagrophytes ( Dog, Cat, Cow, Horse )
 Identificaiton
1) Clinical Identification: Absolute diagnosis of Trichophytosis
must be done by laboratory inspection because it can be
clinically misdiagnosed with other skin diseases, insect bites,
bacterial infections.
2) Laboratory Inspection:

Microscopy: Skin scrapings and hair samples must be

taken from the outside of the lesion. Samples must be
put on a clear slide and inspected with %10 KOH on
microscope. Arthrospores, hyphae with branches and
septums are seeked.
Culture: SDA is optimal. Samples are sticked into the different
parts of the agar. Petri dishes are incubated for 2 weeks at 25C.
The macroscopic and microscopic morphology of colonies can be
inspected.
 Hair Perforation Test
• To discriminate the T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum
• T. Mentagrophytes can invade to hair tissue and make conical perforation
• Hair sample is taken from a child
• This hair autoclaved at 121°C for 15 min to sterilized it
• These steril hair samples are left on the 3-5 day subculture of the tested
dermathophyte and incubated at 25°C
• On the 7th day the hair samples are stained with LCB for the inspection
of perforation
Treatment:
Topical antifungals,
Thiabendazole, Miconazole, Ecoconazole, Ketoconazole,
İtraconazole, Lime-sulphur solution, 5 % sodium hypochlorite
solution can be used topically.

Systemic antifugals can be used if topical treatment doen not

work. For example; ketoconazole, clotrimazole, itraconazole,
terbinafine. Mostly terbinafine is the most efficient.

Nowadays, Griseofulvin isn’t used because of its acute toxicity

 Prevention – Control
• T. verrucosum (LTF-130 strain)
• Live vaccine. Contains conidia and
hyphal elements. Used for both
prophylaxis and curation.
Microsporum Genus
• It is a dermathomycoses caused by Microsporum species in both
animal and humans’ hair and skin
• The arthrospores are smaller than the Trichophytone’s. They can
surround the hair like a package
• The morphology of colonies are thin, granullar or cotton shaped and
with different colours

• In microscopy big, thin and thick walled, multi compatment (3-15

cells) and shuttle shaped macroconidiums can be inspected
• Microconidiums can be observed as spherical, oval and unicellular
on the hyphae one by one
• Microsporum species give yellow-green fluoresence under the wood
lamp!!!
 Epidemiology
• Can be seen all over the World
• Spread by direct contact or indirectly
• The infection is more contogious in especially in winter and in
the the crowded, dirty and moist barns
• Mostly the young animals are effected
 Important Pathogenic Species
• Microsporum canis ( Dog, Cat, Horse, Rabbit, Rodents )
• Microsporum nanum ( Dog, Pig )
• Microsporum cookei ( Dog, Cat, Guinea pig )
• Microsporum gypseum ( Dog, Cat, Horse, Rodent )
• Microsporum audouinii ( Dog, Monkey, Rodent )
• Microsporum distordum ( Dog, Monkey )
• Microsporum persicolor ( Human, Dog, Rat )
• Microsporum ferrugineum ( Human, Animal )
• Microsporum vanbreuseghemii ( Human, Animal )
 Identification
1) Clinical Identification: Absolute diagnosis of Microsporiosis
must be done by laboratory inspection because it can be
clinically misdiagnosed with other skin diseases, insect bites,
bacterial infections.
Wood’s Lamb inspection:

• While growing, M. canis, M. distortum, M. audouini (human) and M.

ferrugineum (human) can produce some metabolites which also give green
fluorescence by Wood’s Lamb UV light (366 nm)
• Suspected M. canis infections can be diagnosed

• The infected sites are generally face, front paws and abdominal areas

• However half of the M. canis infections doesn’t give fluorescence, because

of this future laboratory inspection must be performed
• Topical ointments lead to false positive results
Wood Lamb
Laboratory Inspection
Skin scrapings and hair samples must be taken from the outside of the lesion.

1) Microscopy: Arthrospores, hyphae with branches and septums can be

onserved.

2) Culture: SDA is optimal. Samples are sticked into the different parts of the
agar. Petri dishes are incubated for 2 weeks at 25C. The macroscopic and
microscopic morphology of colonies can be inspected.
 Treatment:

Topical and systemic treatment is performed for 10 days with

antifungal agents.
• Itraconazole ( Anorexia risk is low in cats )
• Terbinafine
• Ketoconazole
• Thiabendazole
• Miconazole
• Griseofulvin (Isn’t used because of its acute toxicity) (In Siamese, Himalayan,
Abyssinian cats myelosupression can be observed)
Prevention – Control
Epidermophyton Genus
• First article of Epidermophyton was published in 1870 by Harz,
about a Tinea cruris case
• In the beginning it was called Acrothecium floccosum; then in
1923 Ota and Langeron named it as Epidermophyton floccosum
• In Epidermophyton genus there are 2 species described
• Epidermophyton floccosum (Mostly in gogs)
• Epidermophyton stockdaleae (Non pathogen)
• Usually isolated from the cases of tinea corporis, tinea pedis,
tinea cruris and tinea ungium
• There is no need for spesific medium for the isolation of agent.
SDA and 25C is optimal.
• In solid media they develop expanded hyphae like other
dermathophytes. Macroconidias are long and thin shaped with
1-9 septums. They do not include microcodias
• The most important virulence factor is its proteinase enzyme
that it produces at 37C
 Treatment:
Topical and systemic antifungals,
Thiabendazole, Miconazole, Ecoconazole, Ketoconazole,
İtraconazole, Clotrimazole, Terbinafine

• The most effective one is Terbinafine which can be used both

topically and systematically
Treatment – Protection
• The treatment of new infection is easy and sometimes animal can recover
spontaneously. However treatment of the chronic infections are very difficult

• Pomat iodure, iodophorm ointment, %5 salicylic acid and topical antifungal

agents can be used

• If necessary Penisilin-Streptomisin can be used

• For the foot lesions zinc sulphate or copper sulphate can be used

• Maintaining the skin of animals dry is the most important prevention

strategy. Insect and arthropode control must be performed
Dermatofitlerin genel yaşam dönemleri