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Dermatomycoses are the most common of fungal infections in livestock, pet animals, and wild animals. The causative agents, dermatophytes, belong to three genera, namely, Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton. The dermatophytes known to have a sexual stage are placed in the family Arthrodermataceae in the Phylum Ascomycota of the Kingdom Fungi. Ecologically dermatophytes are classified as anthropophilic, zoophilic, and geophilic. Dermatophytic infections are the most common of fungal infections in animals. Human infections are frequently caused by some zoophilic dermatophytes but occasionally by geophilic dermatophytes. Predisposing factors for animal infections include contact with other infected animals and spores of the dermatophytes which can survive more than a year under humid and mild temperature conditions. This study presents an update on the occurrence of dermatomycoses caused by different species of dermatophytes in animals in countries in the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and in Kenya and Brazil. Therapy and prevention of infections are also discussed briefly [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to evaluate the chemical, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and antifungal activities of hydroalcoholic extracts of native plants from Southern Brazil: Schinus terebinthifolia (SCH), Persicaria hydropiperoides (PER), Eugenia uniflora (EUG) and Equisetum hyemale (EQU). Ethyl gallate, quercetin, and quinic acid were prevalent compounds identified by LC-MS. For total phenolic/flavonoid contents and the antioxidant potential against ABTS/DPPH radicals, the ascending order was EQU < PER < EUG < SCH. All extracts were low cytotoxic and kept a high Vero cell viability (>75%) at concentrations up to 12.5 mg/mL (MTT assay). By M38-A2/M27-A3 (CLSI) against 68 clinical isolates of animals and strains of Malassezia pachydermatis, Sporothrix brasiliensis, Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes, all extracts (MIC/MFC ≤3.13–100 mg/mL) were active, except EUG. SCH inhibited and killed S. brasiliensis (MIC/MFC50/90 3.12–12.5 mg/mL) and dermatophytes (MIC/MFC 6.25–25 mg/mL) resistant to ketoconazole and itraconazole. These findings support the promising use of the selected plant extracts as antifungal agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichophyton species cause dermatophytosis in humans, with a high, worldwide frequency of reports and important public health relevance. We evaluated 61 Trichophyton strains from different sources deposited in the University Recife Mycology (URM) culture collection of the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil. Strains were phenotypically identified and confirmed by sequencing Internal Transcribed Spacers rDNA and partial beta-tubulin 2-exon. Additionally, we evaluated their susceptibility to terbinafine and itraconazole. Physiological analyses included urease activity and growth in casein medium. Phenotypic methods allowed the reliable identification of T. rubrum only, whereas, for other species, molecular methods were mandatory. All Trichophyton species exhibited susceptibility profiles to itraconazole (0.04-5.33 μg/mL) and terbinafine (0.17-3.33 μg/mL). Our analyses revealed a heterogeneous distribution of T. mentagrophytes, which does not support the current distribution within the species complex of T. mentagrophytes and its genotypes., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Dermatophytes are infectious agents responsible for dermatophytosis, an important worldwide zoonosis. Cats are considered potential hosts and reservoir of these fungi, especially Microsporum canis. The prevalence in cats without dermatopathies varies according to the region, climate and animal husbandry. The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of dermatophytes in cats without clinical signs of dermatopathy in the Metropolitan Area of Florianópolis, situated in the coast of Southern Brazil. Materials, Methods & Results: A total of 198 samples were obtained from cats without dermatopathies domiciled in the metropolitan area of Florianópolis. The collections were made through vigorous hair brushing throughout the body of the animal, using a sterile toothbrush. Mycological culture was performed onto Sabouraud Agar Chloramphenicol-Cyclohexamide (SCC), and incubated at 25-27°C for 21-28 days. The diagnosis was based on the macro and micromorphological characteristics of the isolated dermatophyte. One hundred and ten samples (55.6%) were collected in veterinary clinics and 88 (44.4%) in multiple household cats (average 11). The frequency of dermatophytes corresponded to 3.0% (6/198). Only the genus Microsporum was observed with predominance of M. canis (66.7%), followed by M. gypseum (33.3%). Saprotrophic fungi were observed in 94.4% of the cultures and 5.6% of the samples did not occurred fungal growth. Most of the isolates were obtained from adult cats (66.7%), females (83.3%) and with long hair (5.4%) in comparison to short hair samples (2.1%). Thirty percent of the cats (59/198) had been tested for retroviruses, and, among them, 27.0% were positive (22% FeLV and 5% FIV). M. gypseum was isolated from one feline FeLV positive. Various saprotrophic species were isolated from multiple household cats. Discussion: Dermatophytosis is considered as the most common occupational zoonosis among veterinarians, and it is recognized as a biological risk associated to the direct contact with cats. There are reports of regional outbreaks in Brazil where the pets were indicated as sources of dermatophytes to humans in the domestic environment. The frequency of dermatophytes observed in this study (3.0%) was lower than shown in others papers. Microsporum canis is commonly isolated from cats in hot weather regions and crowded living facilities; once introduced in to the creation on a cattery it is difficult to be eliminated. There is evidence of a higher occurrence of M. canis in cats FIV positive than seronegative ones. Dermatophytes were isolated from cats in contact with other cats (5/165). However, multiple household cats had no positive cultures and this outcome can be associated to high contamination by saprotrophic fungi. For diagnosis of dermatophytosis, mycological culture is indicated as the most efficient and easy to perform method, but it is necessary to be aware of false negative results, since it can occur in situations of intense contamination. Thus, it is advisable to prophylactically perform a clinical examination as a routine and also laboratory analyses in each cat before introducing it to a new environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dermatophytoses are considered a public health problem. The objectives of this study were to determine the evolution of their prevalence in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, Brazil, and to analyze the dermatophyte species distribution according to body site and demographic characteristics of the patients. Methodology: This work was a retrospective analysis of data from patients attending a tertiary care hospital during 1996-2011. Results: There were 9,048 cases with cultures positive for dermatophytes. Trichophyton rubrum occurred in 59.6% of the cases, followed by Trichophyton interdigitale (34%), Microsporum canis (2.6%), Epidermophyton floccosum (1.5%), Microsporum gypseum (1.3%), and Trichophyton tonsurans (0.9%). The angular coefficients for T. interdigitale, E. floccosum, T. rubrum, and M. canis were +1.119, +0.211, -0.826 and -0.324% per year, respectively. Males presented higher prevalence of infection (79.3% versus 53.9%). Tinea unguium occurred in 48.5% of the cases, followed by tinea pedis (33.1%). T. rubrum was the predominant species in all regions of the body except the scalp, where M. canis was responsible for 75% of the cases. Conclusion: Monitoring of the evolution of dermatophytosis tracks changes in prevalence over the years and may assist practical measures for the public health control of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dermatophytes are a group of fungi that penetrate the stratum corneum invading the skin, hair and nails, using keratin as a substrate, causing infections in humans and animals known as dermatophytosis. It is a common occurrence these fungal infections in tropical countries, constituting a public health problem. A retrospective analysis of mycological tests on samples received in mycology section of the Biological Research Institute / Central Laboratory of the State / State Foundation for Production and Research in Health / Rio Grande do Sul (IPB - LACEN / FEPPS / RS), originating from health centers in Porto Alegre metropolitan areas and the state during the period 2007 to 2011. Statistical data were obtained using the software PASW Statistics 18, measures were used associations applying the Fisher exact test. Thus, this paper aims to contribute to the distribution of the most frequent etiological agents, is of great importance to investigate the prevalence of these cities in Rio Grande do Sul, in order to portray the epidemiological reality of dermatophytosis in the state, contributing to the realization of public health measures. Of the 6452 samples, 2342 were positive for dermatophytes. Among them T. rubrum was the most prevalent species (72.70%), followed by T. mentagrophytes (22.44%), M. gypseum (1.99%), M. canis (1.39%), E. floccosum (1.30%). Presenting a case for T. shoenleinii and a case for T. tonsurans (0.09%). The anatomical site were more infected toenails with 1,248 (53.23%) cases. Females were more affected. Through this study, we characterize the species of dermatophyte dermatophytosis more involved in our state, noting that the species Trichophyton rubrum is the most cosmopolitan of this fungal group, followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum gypseum, Microsporum canis, Ephydermophyton floccosun, Trichophyton tonsurans and T. shoenleinii. M. canis was the most frequent species in samples of scalp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dermatophytoses are superficial mycoses, and the identification of their etiological agents is routinely performed by culture and microscopic features, which is time-consuming and relies on personnel expertise. Molecular approaches have been developed to provide faster and reliable results; therefore, this study aimed to identify dermatophytes isolated from Alagoas state patients, employing phenotypical and molecular methods., Methodology: Clinical samples for morphological identification were collected from private and public laboratories and cultivated on Sabouraud dextrose agar. DNA extraction was followed by ITS amplicon analysis after restriction enzyme digestion DdeI (ITS-RFLP)., Results: Out of fourteen representative strains, ITS-RFLP with DdeI efficiently identified Microsporum canis, Nannizzia gypsea, and Trichophyton rubrum, while species of the complex T. tonsurans/T. mentagrophytes presented the same restriction pattern. After genotyping, 2 T. tonsurans and 1 Microsporum sp. strain were reclassified as T. rubrum., Conclusions: RFLP of ITS-region followed by DdeI digestion produced faster and relatively reliable results than classic methods; however, this method has not been as efficient for closely related dermatophytes cryptic species., Competing Interests: No Conflict of Interest is declared, (Copyright (c) 2022 Luisa Andrea Villanueva da Fonseca, Maria Anilda Santos Araujo, Denise Maria Wanderlei Silva, Fernanda Cristina de Albuquerque Maranhao.)

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Copyright of Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo is the property of Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Onychomycosis defined as fungal infection of the nail represents more than 50% of all onychopathies. Epidemiological studies have shown that this mycosis is worldwide in occurrence, but with geographical variation in distribution. The direct microscopy and culture of the nail samples were performed to identify the causative agent. Out of 2273 patients with nail infection examined between January 2000 and December 2004 in Goiania, state of Goias, Brazil, diagnosis of onychomycosis was confirmed in 1282 cases, with dermatophytes and Candida species being the most common aetiological agents isolated. Dermatophyte onychomycosis was more common in toenails than in fingernails, while onychomycosis caused by yeast had a similar frequency in both toenails and fingernails. Among the species identified, Candida albicans was responsible for 492 cases (38.4%) of onychomycosis, Trichophyton rubrum was found in 327 cases (25.6%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes in 258 cases (20.1%). Other fungi isolated from nail infections included Aspergillus sp., Trichosporon sp., Geotrichum sp. and Fusarium sp. In our study, yeast of the genus Candida were the dominant cause of onychomycosis in women and dermatophytes were the principal cause of this condition in men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapeutic limitations, development of fungal drug resistance, drug-related toxicity, drug interactions and insufficient bioavailability of the currently available antifungal drugs have made the development of drugs necessary that would be able to treat the emerging fungal infections. The Cerrado is the second greater biome of Brazil and it was identified as one of the most distinguished biomes of South America, becoming an important source of innovative vegetal molecules to treat several conditions. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the antifungal potential of Cerrado plants, mainly those used to treat infections and wounds. A total of 57 extracts were screened by the agar-well diffusion technique against Candida albicans and Trichophyton rubrum. The most promising extracts were tested in smaller concentrations and their minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined by microdilution method. Results were analysed statistically byanova tests. Extracts of Kielmeyera coriacea, Renealmia alpinia, Stryphnodendron adstringens and Tabebuia caraiba were very active against T. rubrum, presented geometric means of the MIC values between 170.39 and 23.23 μg ml−1. Extracts of Cerrado plants are of particular interest as source of new agents for the treatment of dermatophytic infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dermatophytes are keratinophilic fungi, considered etiological agents of cutaneous mycoses in man and animals. The objective of this work was to isolate dermatophytic and non-dermatophytic fungi in recreational sandboxes (rainy and dry periods) in public day-care centers located in the city of Cuiabá-MT (Middle-west of Brazil)., Methods: Samples (n=200) were collected from the superficial layer of the sandboxes at a depth of 2-5cm in 10 public nurseries in Cuiabá-MT. Hair baits measuring 1-2cm were autoclaved and dispersed in 50g of the sample in sterile plates, incubated at 28°C, moistened with chloramphenicol solution (50mg/L). After 6 weeks the baits were inoculated on Sabouraud agar plus 50mg/L chloramphenicol and 500mg/L cycloheximide. The fungi were identified according to macroscopic and micromorphological characteristics., Results: From the collected sand samples, 1318 colonies and 56 species of fungi belonging to 22 genera were isolated. The most important genera were Paecilomyces spp. (30.42%), Penicillium spp. (19.12%), Fusarium spp. (11.46%) and Aspergillus spp. (11.15%). Dermatophytes were recovered in 50% of day-care centers in a total of 29 identified colonies, the Trichophyton genus (86.2%) being the most frequently isolated., Conclusions: The dermatophytes in the recreational areas of day-care centers can pose a risk to the health of its users, especially for children and the employees. Work with this profile is very important to guide actions related to health surveillance., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The objective of the present study was investigate the prevalence of dermatophytes in dogs, cats and environment floor through molecular epidemiology tools to identify the genetic profile of these infectious agents. This was an observational study with cross-sectional surveys design. Sample were collected from the hair and skin of 52 dogs and cats with the clinical suspicion of dermatophytosis, over a period of one year in Maringá, in the state of Paraná, Brazil. Household samples (carpets and floor), were collected from animals that were positive for dermatophytosis by morphological colonies characteristics, and samples of dogs or cats living in the same household as with the positive animals were also collected. After mycological confirmation, molecular typing was performed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Microsporum canis was the unic dermatophyto isolated whose prevalence was 26.9% (14/52) in animals with the clinical suspicion of dermatophytosis and four other animals that lived with positive animals. As some animals had more than one lesion site, there were 22 total positive cultures from samples from animals and another ten from abiotic sources. The majority of the animals that provided positive cultures for M. canis were aged up to five months (77.8%) and were female (66.7%). Molecular typing using the P1 primer revealed genetically distinct profiles in the symptomatic, asymptomatic and environmental animal samples, or the same animal, furthermore, showed that M. canis could have microevolution., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Intensive prophylactic use of antifungals leads to the increase of drug resistance and the need for new and more effective treatments are real. Plants from Leguminosae family are rich in flavonoids, for which numerous biological activities have been described, including antifungal effects., Purpose: To screen methanolic extracts from Leguminosae species looking for alternative sources for antifungal agents (anti-dermatophyte and anti-Candida) and their innocuity., Methods: Antifungal activity was evaluated using the strains Candida albicans, C. krusei, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, Epidermophyton floccosum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. rubrum and, Microsporum gypseum in the broth microdilution method. Later, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for Mimosa pigra, Eriosema heterophyllum, and Chamaecrista nictitans was determined. The most promising extract was fractionated and cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the most active fraction were also assayed., Results: Fungicide and/or fungistatic activity against dermatophyte strains were presented by 60% of the methanolic extracts assayed. M. pigra, E. heterophyllum, and C. nictitans methanolic extracts could inhibit dermatophyte strains at concentrations ranging from 1.9 to 1000μg/mL. M. pigra showed the lowest MIC values for a dichloromethane fraction (1.9μg/mL) without DNA damage at 10 and 50μg/mL and 100% of cell viability of human leukocytes., Conclusion: Our results indicate that methanolic extracts from Leguminosae plants are potential sources of antifungal compounds, mainly the extract and fractions from M. pigra. The dichloromethane fraction from M. pigra did not showed in vitro toxicity according to the applied assays., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Onychomychosis, a nail fungus infection is the most frequent nail ailment, constituting about half of all nail disorders. It can be caused by dermatophytes, non-dermatophytes, yeasts and Prothoteca spp. Methods include 5407 samples of patients with suspected onychomycosis, studied from January 2002 to December 2006, by direct mycological examination and fungi culture. The diagnosis of onychomycosis was confirmed in samples from 3822 direct mycological and/or culture positive. The diagnosis was established by culture for fungi. Among the 1.428 identified agents, the dermatophytes were responsible for 68.6% (N = 980) of cases, followed by yeasts with 27.6% (N = 394), non-dermatophytes fungi with 2.2% (N = 31), Prothoteca spp with 0.1% (N = 2), and associations with 1.5% (N = 22). Females were more affected, with 66% (N = 2527) of cases, and the most affected age group ranged from 31 to 60 years of age (median 47 years). Fungal microbiota is often changed in the world, both quantitatively and qualitatively, and is affected by several environmental factors. Thus, the periodic review of the composition of this microbiota is important to evaluate the epidemiology and thus proportion a better therapeutic response.