Parole chiave
Dermatophytes
Fulgal flora
Prevalence
Red deer
Stelvio national park
Abstract
Dermatophytosis has been described in wildlife, but the literature reporting dermatophyte prevalence in deer is incomplete. To determine the prevalence of dermatophytes and to evaluate the hypothetical role of asymptomatic carriers hair samples were collected from 30 legally hunted wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the Stelvio National Park, Italy. All deer were visually examined for dermatologic lesions and the coat was brushed using a modified Mackenzie collection method. A small sample of hair was used for trichography and subsequently fungal culture was performed on the hair samples. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations were used to identify dermatophytes, saprophytic fungi and yeasts. None of the deer had visible cutaneous lesions. No dermatophyte spores or hyphae were found on trichography and, when hair samples were cultured, there was no colour change on DTM in any sample nor was any dermatophyte colony grown. Only saprophytic fungi were grown, predominantly Alternaria spp., Mucor spp., Cladosporium spp. These results suggest that the red deer of Stelvio National Park do not seem to be asymptomatic carriers of dermatophytes and confirm that it is unlikely that the deer act a reservoir for transmission of dermatophytes to other wild animals, livestock or people living locally.
Riferimenti bibliografici
Alteras I., Nesterov V., Ciolofan I., 1966. The occurrence of dermatophytes in wild animals from Rumania. Sabouraudia. 4 (4), 215-218.
Alteras I., Nesterov V., Ciolofan I., 1968. Infection by Microsporum gypseum in the chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra). Sabouraudia. 6 (2), 138–139.
Boyanowski K.J., Ihrke P.J., Moriello K.A., Kass P.H., 2000. Isolation of fungal flora from the hair coats of shelter cats in the Pacific coastal USA. Vet Dermatol. 11 (2), 143–150.
Cabañes F.J., Abarca M.L., Bragulat M.R., 1997. Dermatophytes isolated from domestic animals in Barcelona, Spain. Mycopathologia. 137 (2), 107-13.
Cafarchia C., Romito D., Capelli G., Guillot J., Otranto D., 2006. Isolation of Microsporum canis from the hair coat of pet dogs and cats belonging to owners diagnosed with M. canis tinea corporis. Vet Dermatol. 17 (5), 327-31.
Chabasse D., Guiguen C., Couatarmanac’h A., Launay H., Reecht V., De Bièvre C., 1987. Contribution to the knowledge of keratinophilic fungi isolated from small wild mammals and European rabbit in France, discussion about fungal species found. Ann Parasitol Hum Comp. 62 (4), 337–368.
Chermette R., Ferreiro L., Guillot J., 2008. Dermatophytoses in Animals. Mycopathologia. 166 (5-6), 385–405.
Gallo M.G., Lanfranchi P., Poglayen G., Calderola S., Menzano A., Ferroglio E., Peano A., 2005. Seasonal 4-year investigation into the role of the alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) as a carrier of zoophilic dermatophytes. Med Mycol. 43 (4), 373–379.
Hall N.H., Swinford A., McRuer D., Hall J.S., 2011. Survey of Haircoat Fungal Flora for the Presence of Dermatophytes in a Population of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Virginia. J Wildl Dis. 47 (3), 713–716.
Janovitz E.B., Long G.G., 1984. Dermatomycosis in ranch foxes. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 185 (11), 1393–1394.
Knudtson W.U., Robertstad G.W., 1970. The isolation of keratinophilic fungi from soil and wild animals in South Dakota. Mycopathologia. 40 (3), 309–323.
Knudtson W.U., Gates C.E., Ruth G.R., 1980. Trichophyton mentagrophytes Dermatophytosis in wild fox. J Wildl Dis. 16 (4), 465–469.
Kuntze A., Gemeinhardt H., Bensch G.J., 1967. On a Microsporum canis endemy in zoo animals, with occupational infection in man. Mykosen. 10 (1), 7–18.
Le Bec S., Beugnet F., 1994. Ringworm Cases on Rusa Deer in New Caledonia. Rev Med Vet. 145 (10), 721-727.
MacKenzie D.W.R., 1963. Hairbrush diagnosis in detection and eradication of non-fluorescent scalp ringworm. Brit Med J. 2 (5353), 363–365.
Mahmoud A.L., 1995. Dermatophytes and other keratinophilic fungi causing ringworm of horses”, Folia Microbiol (Praha). 40 (3), 293-296.
Mancianti F., Papini R., Poli A., 1993. Mycological survey from coats of red foxes in Italy. J Med Mycol. 3, 109–111.
Moretti A., Boncio L., Pasquali P., Fioretti D.P., 1998. Epidemiological aspects of dermatophyte infections in horses and cattle. Zentralbl Veterinarmed B. 45 (4), 205-208.
Moriello K., 2001. Diagnostic techniques for dermatophytosis. Clin Tech Small An. 16 (4), 219–224.
Moriello K., 2003. Practical diagnostic testing for dermatophytosis in cats. Vet Med. 50, 859–874.
Nemeth N.m., Ruder M.G., Gerhold R., Brown J.D., Munk
B.A., Oesterle P.T., Kubiski S.V., Keel M.K., 2013. Demodectic mange, dermatophilosis, and other parasitic and bacterial dermatologic diseases in free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the United States from 1975 to 2012. Vet Pathol. 51 (3), 633-640.
Pal M., Thapa B.R., 1993. An outbreak of dermatophytosis in barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak). Vet Rec. 133 (14), 347-348.
Pal M., Sejra A.R., Rao N.M., 1995. Prevalence of dermatophytosis in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). International Buffalo Information Center Buffalo Bulletin. 14 (3), 51–54.
Papini R., Nardoni S., Fanelli A., Mancianti f., 2009. High infection rate of Trichophyton verrucosum in calves from Central Italy. Zoonoses Public Health. 56 (2), 59-64.
Peano A., Tizzani P., Gallo M.G., Molinar Min A., Rambozzi L., Meneguz P.G., 2008. Dermatophytosis due to Trichophyton verrucosum in a chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra). Eur J Wildl Res. 54 (1), 153-156.
Sargison N.D., Thomson J.R., Scott P.R., Hopkins G., 2002. Ringworm caused by Trichophyton verrucosum--an emerging problem in sheep flocks. Vet Rec. 150 (24), 755--756.
Stannard A.A., White S.D., 2002. Mycotic diseases. In Large animal internal medicine, 3rd Ed. (B.P. Smith, ed.). Mosby Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, 1213–1214.
Wobeser G., Mitchum S.A., Saunders J.R., Hunt H.M., 1983. Dermatomycosis (ringworm) in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). Can Vet J. 24 (10), 316–317.
This work is licensed under a CC BY-SA 4.0 international