Comparison of Adhesive Tape Impression Cytology, Hair Plucks, and Fungal Culture for the Diagnosis of Dermatophytosis in Dogs and Cats

The study evaluated the effectiveness of adhesive tape impression (ATI) cytology, hair plucks, and fungal culture for diagnosing dermatophytosis in 30 dogs and 15 cats. ATI cytology diagnosed 82.2% of cases, hair plucks 66.7%, and fungal culture 80%. In dogs with kerion, ATI cytology and fungal culture had higher sensitivity (90.9%) compared to hair plucks (36.4%). Cats showed higher sensitivity across all tests compared to dogs with alopecia. The study concluded that ATI cytology is a useful, noninvasive, and cost-effective diagnostic tool, especially in cats and dogs with kerion, but recommended further studies with larger populations to confirm these findings.