Risk factors of feline dermatophytosis in the Netherlands

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence and identify risk factors for feline dermatophytosis in an animal shelter in the Netherlands. In December 2012 and January 2013 all cats admitted to a shelter in Eindhoven were clinically examined and their hair coat was sampled. Sampling was done with a toothbrush using the MacKenzie technique and was followed by a Wood’s lamp illumination. The cats admitted to the shelter were stray cats or given up for adoption by their owners and were from different ages, genders and breeds. European shorthairs were over presented. One of the kittens had suspect ringworm lesions on the front legs and head, which did not fluoresced on Wood’s illumination.The toothbrush samples were cultured on Sabouraud B and Selective A agar and inoculated for 21 days. All cats were culture negative for dermatophytes, and therefore no risk factors could be identified. A short overview of risk factors described by other authors is included and the possibility that some samples were false negative is discussed. Further research with a larger survey is needed to get a better estimation of the prevalence and to identify possible risk factors.