Clinical And Laboratory Studies On Equine Dermatophytosis

Abstract

In this study out of 200 Arabian horses periodically clinically examined in a station for Arabian horses, Cairo, Egypt, 55 animals (27.5%) had dermatological signs suggestive of dermatophytosis based on clinical examination. The majority of ringworm lesions were distributed over the head, neck, shoulder and limbs. Trichophyton mentagrophytes was the most commonly isolated dermatophyte species 19/39 (48.7 %), followed by T. verrucosum (12/39, 30.7%) and Microsporum canis (8/39, 20.9%). T. mentagrophytes and M. canis were isolated mostly from head and limbs. T. verrucosum was isolated from shoulder. The infection rate was higher in young horses less than one year old and increased during the winter season. Higher rate of infection was detected among female animals (81.4%) than males (60.7%). These findings have great veterinary and public health significance.