Fungous infections of skin pertain to most widespread diseases in humans and animals. Microspory and trichophytosis conditionally united as "ringworm" often affect humans when they contact with ill animals (cats and dogs). Up to 200.000 primary cases of ringworm are registered in Russia each year. In last years as the number of homeless and domestic animals enlarges the rates of sickness of ringworm increases. The number of ill domestic animals depends on season - it reaches its' maximum in the period of summer-autumn. Infection happens when the animal contacts with infected stray animals, during a walk, when contacts with contaminated bedding or bowl.
Trichophytosis affects haircoat, claws and skin of animal. Clinical forms of lesion are very different. This depends on acuity of disease, the degree of its' expansion and the period of illness. Chronic, atypical, latent forms, forms that are hard to detect, forms that last for months and are to be the source of infection for humans are often met.
The course of disease in animals and humans has something in common. Different little injuries of skin, accumulation of organics substances, much dandruff and dirt favors development of fungous infections. In animals as well as in humans the disease begins with reddening of skin. It becomes rough. Then bubbles appear. Bubbles turn into scabs, and abundant flaking begins. Hair become dim, change color into white-gray, sometimes grow out of scabs in a form of bunches in different directions. Later they break and come out together with scabs. As a result bold flaking spots arise. In individual cases a papulose-vesicle eruption appears at the periphery of affected area.
Inch in affected spots, especially on hairless parts of body is quite usual at dermatomycoses in animals. Lesion of claws has a nidal or diffusive character in the form of centers of turbidity, deformation and crumb-like flaking on different parts of claw, especially those that are on fore limbs. Dogs mostly have centers of trichophytosis on the skin of head, limbs and neck. More often this disease happens in shorthaired breeds of dogs. Cats fall ill with this disease less often. Without treatment this disease lasts quite long - many weeks or months and the animal presents the source infection for others.
Microspory in cats has different forms of expression. Bold spots of different size that are small and individual at first, then multiple, and then joining and expanding characterize the acute forms of disease. Affected spots are covered with scales or, rarely, scabs; skin that covers them is dropsical, a little bit swollen, colored blue-pink, hairs are broken off.
The favorable localization of feline microspory is skin of head, bridge of nose, area around ears and eyes, on the lower lip, neck, fore limbs and near the beginning of tail. Often there is no evident lesion. But palpation may reveal small knots and scabs. Only single fluff hairs on the inner side of auricles, eyebrows, eyelashes and whiskers are affected. Centers of microspory and single affected hairs have a specific shine when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Moulting promotes separation of hairs affected by fungi, which leads to infection of rooms, furniture and different things, bedding, ground - all that, infected animal touches.
Ill animals are difficult to treat and formerly have been eliminated (as a source of infection for people). Today quite many new and effective medicines for inside and local (outside) usage have appeared. Don't try to cure your pets yourself, without a professional advice - you may do harm!
At the suspicion of ringworm or otitis one must quickly turn to mycologist and disinfect the room where the animal lives.
The laboratory of diagnostics and the ambulance station for treatment of mycoses of animals in Mycology Center at Saint-Petersburg Medical Academy of postgraduate study have recently been opened. To make a correct diagnosis and find the most effective medicine one should extract a pure culture of fungus, identify it and determine the degree of sensibility of microorganism to different medical products and disinfectors. In ordinary veterinary hospitals there are no appropriate conditions to do this.
In presence of bald spots and flaking on skin, or if one fails to cure otitis for a long time, he may consult to Mycology Center at MAPS. If the animal is infected with the disease a mycology checkup of children and adults who contacted with this animal might be conducted.
Professor T.A.A. RAVIYSKI, Chief mycologist of Saint-Petersburg
Professor V.B. ANTONOV
Translated by Tatiana Karpova (Moscow)
(MSU, Biology faculture, Dep. zoology and ecology).