Current Perspective of Dermatophytosis in Animals

Abstract

In the past few decades, an increasing number of fungal infections in animals as well as in human have been observed. Of these, some severe diseases cause die-off and extinctions of animal species and are responsible for higher morbidity and mortality rate. Dermatophytosis is a superficial infection of skin caused by three genera of fungi including Epidermophyton, Microsporum, and Trichophyton collectively called as dermatophytes. It is the most frequent fungal infections of animals including pets and livestock and even in wild species. The chief causal fungal species included M. canis, M. nanum, M. gypseum, T. terrestre, T. equinum, T. verrucosum, and T. mentagrophytes. Dermatophytes are distributed globally with its specific species and clinical form. The fungi are found in soil (geophilic organisms), animals (zoophilic), and humans (anthropophilic). Dermatophyte spores can survive more than a year under humid and mild temperature conditions. The animals may infect by close contact with other infected animals or soil fungi during digging or rooting. Dermatophytes require keratin for growth so they infect in keratinized tissue only. While, fungal exposure to animals does not always cause infection. There are multiple factors involved in infection such as fungal species, surface and exposure of animal skin, immunocompetence, age, and animal nutritional behavior. The disease diagnosis is based on the history, physical examination, and much more microscopic study, histology, and cultural characteristics of fungi. For the treatment of disease itraconazole, fluconazole, terbinafine, ketoconazole, and griseofulvin have been effectively used in animals. But, in few years, these treatments have become ineffective which may be due to antifungal resistance or tolerance. Therefore, use of new antifungal compounds from natural/plant-derived products can be an alternative approach to combat such situation.