Cat and Dog: Epidemiological Survey of Dermatophytosis in Europe

ECMM Survey on Dermatophytosis in Europe was proposed in 1999 (Mycology Newsletter 1999 vol. 4, P. 9-11). Participants in this study were asked to provide data about the main dermatophyte species involved in cat and dog ringworm over the five year period 1995-1999. Six countries participated under the supervision of ECMM convenor Prof. Francisco Javier Cabañes (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain).

Data about 6,442 cats (41% male, 42% female, 17% not specified) and 6,160 dogs (42% male, 37% female, 21% not specified) have been compiled. Dermatophytes were cultured from 1,767 of 6,442 (27.4%) specimens from cats (52% male, 43% female, 5% not specified). The prevalence of dermatophytes in cats with suspected lesions of dermatophytosis ranges between 8% and 35% among the different countries. Dermatophytes were cultured from 765 of 6,160 (12.4%) specimens from dogs (50% male, 44% female, 6% not specified). The prevalence of dermatophytes in dogs with suspected lesions of dermatophytosis ranges between 1% and 23% among the different countries. In both cats and dogs, the total of positive cultures was higher in autumn and winter months. There was a high proportion of positive cultures in cats less than one year of age and in dogs between 1 and 5 years. In cats, M. canis (96.9%) was the most common species isolated. Other species isolated were M. gypseum (1.9%), T. mentagrophytes (1%), M. persicolor (0.05%) and Trichophyton spp. (0.15%). In dogs, M. canis (76.2%) was also the most common species isolated. Other species isolated were T. mentagrophytes (12.4%), M. gypseum (10.8%), and Trichophyton spp. (0.6%).
From: Mycology Newsletter 2003, P. 8-9

• The results were reported in: FJ Cabañes, MG Gallo, F Mancianti, MP Tampieri, L Pinter, B Mignon, A Tomsíková, R Fabiková, A Weber, MJ Payá, MT Cutuli. Survey of cat and dog dermatophytosis in Europe. The ECMM working group report . “Trends in Medical Mycology”. Proceedings of the 9th Congress of the ECMM and 7th Trends in Invasive Fungal Infections, ed. Monduzzi, Bologna. pp 49-54 . 2003. ISBN 88-323-3155-1