Genetic variability inMicrosporum canisisolated from cats, dogs and humans inBrazil

Abstract

Dermatophytosis caused by Microsporum canis is a heterogeneous disease with variable clinical manifestations. M. canis is a zoophilic dermatophyte and the most frequent fungi isolated from dogs, cats and children in Brazil. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic variability of M. canis isolates from different animal species using two microsatellite markers, namely, McGT(13) and McGT(17), and to correlate the results with the clinical and epidemiological patient data in Brazil. The study included a global set of 102 M. canis strains, including 37 symptomatic cats, 35 asymptomatic cats, 19 human patients with tinea, 9 asymptomatic dogs and 2 symptomatic dogs. A total of 14 genotypes were identified, and 6 large populations were distinguished. There was no correlation between these multilocus genotypes and the clinical and epidemiological data, including the source, symptomatology, clinical picture, breed, age, sex, living conditions and geographic location. These results demonstrate that the use of microsatellite polymorphisms is a reliable method for the differentiation of M. canis strains. However, we were unable to demonstrate a shared clinical and epidemiological pattern among the same genotype samples.

Dermatophytosis in Small Animals

“…The clinical application of these variations has to be discovered yet. These variations do not reflect differences in symptomatology or epidemiological data [14].…”

“…Apparently, studies examining the enzyme production through molecular characterization and expression during infection are an importante means to understand the details of pathogenicity and may also answer questions related to the different degrees of virulence observed in different hosts [14][15][16][17].…”

Molecular markers useful for epidemiology of dermatophytoses

“…39 Taken together, these findings indicated that MLMT is a reliable method for the differentiation of M. canis strains. 34,39…”

“…Using two microsatellite markers, 102 strains isolated in Brazil, including 19 from human patients, yielded a total of 14 genotypes, which could be sorted into six large populations . Taken together, these findings indicated that MLMT is a reliable method for the differentiation of M. canis strains …”

PCR and real‐time PCR approaches to the identification of Arthroderma otae species Microsporum canis and Microsporum audouinii/Microsporum ferrugineum

“…In cases of zoophilic M. canis infection, pets are a common reservoir, while in cases of anthropophilic M. audouinii and M. ferrugineum infection, the pathogens can be spread from humans. Moreover, M. canis infection is one of the most common dermatophytes, 9 and the number of anthropophilic Microsporum infections is on the rise. 10 In this study, we present two assays that enable the identification of the clinically relevant Microsporum species M. canis, M. audouinii and M. ferrugineum.…”