Equine Dermatophytosis: A Survey of Its Occurrence and Species Distribution among Horses in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the occurrence and species distribution of dermatophyte from cutaneous skin lesions of horses in Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of 102 skin scrapings were collected from 102 horses with skin lesions. Mycological studies were carried out using conventional techniques. Dermatophytes were isolated from 18 (17.6%) of the 102 samples collected. The 18 dermatophytes were distributed into 10 different species belonging to Microsporum (n = 5) and Trichophyton (n = 5) genera. T. verrucosum (n = 4) was the most predominant species isolated followed by M. equinum (n = 3), T. vanbreuseghemii (n = 2), M. gypseum (n = 2), and M. canis (n = 2). Others include M. fulvum (n = 2), T. mentagrophytes (n = 1), T. equinum (n = 1), T. soudanense (n = 1), and M. gallinae (n = 1). The present study reveals the occurrence of dermatophytes in cutaneous skin lesions of horses in Kaduna State, Nigeria. In addition for the first time in this environment the anthropophilic dermatophyte T. soudanense was isolated from horses. These findings have great economic, veterinary, and public health significance as they relate to the cost of treatment and dissemination of zoonotic dermatophytes.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Pulmonary Fungal Pathogens among Symptomatic Patients with or without Tuberculosis at Gombe, Nigeria

“…The growing interest in keeping animals as pets in Nigeria highlights the possibility of zoonotic fungal transmission to humans [32]. Several reports have demonstrated domestic animals such as cats, dogs, sheep, horses, donkeys, and chickens as significant reservoirs of human fungal infections in Nigeria [33,34]. Keeping pets is more common in people residing in rural and suburban settlements [32].…”

An Over View of Equine Dermatophytosis

“…In horses, most dermatophyte lesions are found in areas of contact with saddle and girth. They usually begin as small patches of raised hairs, and progress to hair loss, with variable amounts of scaling, erythema, crusting and exudation, kerion can be found in some cases [15,16] (Figs. 1-6).…”

“…T. violaceum recorded Abu -Samra and Ibrahim [27]. M. fulvum, T. soudanense have been isolated [16]. T. tonsurans has been reported Balogun et al [28], while M gpseum isolated [29,30].…”

“…The isolates should be examined macroscopically and microscopically after staining with lactophenol cotton blue using wet mount technique [39] (Figs. [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22].…”

Zoonotic fungal diseases and animal ownership in Nigeria

“…25 Several studies have indicated that domestic animals (including cats, dogs, sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits, horses, donkeys, ducks and chickens) constitute important reservoir of human dermatophytic infections in Nigeria. 21,[26][27][28][29][30][31][32] The most common agents of infection identified were the zoophilic species: Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and T. verrucosum. In addition, these studies revealed that close interactions of humans with domestic animals through nomadic lifestyle, animal farming, domestic livestock keeping or pet ownership promote the prevalence of dermatophytic infections.…”