Frequency of Dermatophytes and Yeasts on Tegument of Healthy Dogs and Cats

The study investigated the presence of dermatophytes and yeasts on the skin of 30 healthy cats and 30 healthy dogs. All cats showed positive cultures for Microsporum canis, with 33.33% also positive for Microsporum gypseum and 50% for Trichophyton mentagrophytes, with Microsporum canis being the most prevalent (P>0.001). Among dogs, 86.66% were positive for Microsporum canis, which was also the predominant fungus (P<0.001). Malassezia pachydermatis was found in 50% of dogs but not in cats, while other Malassezia species were present in 6.6% of cats and 26.66% of dogs. Candida albicans was isolated in 26.66% of dogs and 33.33% of cats. The study concluded that healthy dogs and cats can be asymptomatic carriers of dermatophytes and yeasts, potentially spreading these organisms in the environment and causing infections across species.