Clinical and mycological features of dermatophytosis in domestic cats at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Veterinary Teaching Hospital

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical manifestations and mycological features of feline dermatophytosis in a population of cats with suspected lesions of dermatophytosis at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Veterinary Teaching Hospital (northeast of Iran). Skin, hair, and nail samples from 122 clinically suspected cases of feline dermatophytosis were screened by direct microscopic examination. Of the 122 samples examined, 91 (74.59 %) were positive for fungal elements by direct microscopic examination, and 66 (54 %) were culture-positive for Microsporum canis. M. canis was the only dermatophyte species isolated from the cats. In the studied population, young cats (< 7 months) showed a statistically higher rate of M. canis infection than older animals (p < 0.001). The occurrence of dermatophytosis did not correlate with gender or the type of cats’ hair. The isolation rate of dermatophytes was relatively high in winter. However, the association between season and the dermatophyte inflation rate was not significant. The diagnostic value of microscopic examination proved to be high compared to fungal cultures as 64 of 66 samples that had positive M. canis culture were positive at microscopic examination. The agreement between culture and microscopic examination was moderate (k = 0.49). The information acquired in this study provides helpful insights into dermatophytoses in northern Iran highlighting the most important clinical and mycological features of skin mycoses in pet cats.