SLOVENIAN VETERINARY RESEARCH

Dermatophytoses In domestic animals and their zoonotic potential69dogs was 53 days (21-126) and 63 days (28-84 days)for cats (43). Even in prolonged treatments withterbinafine no resistance of fungi is expected (42).One should use higher doses (30-40 mg/kg every 24h) and expect longer treatment courses in M.canisinfection compared to other dermatophytoses, asit should be expected also in children with tineacapitis (12 weeks of treatment with 60% healed) (10,44).Clinical management of dermatophytoses inruminants is successfully implemented throughchemoprophylaxis. Vaccines that are most oftenused in Slovenia nowadays for this purpose are TrihobenR (Bioveta, Chech Republic) and InsolTrichophytonR (Intervet, Netherlands).Optimum treatment protocol for dogs andcatsAccording to recommendations the optimumtreatment protocol for dogs or cats with dermatophytosisinvolves a combination of clipping of thehair coat, twice a week topical antifungal therapy,concurrent systemic antifungal therapy, and environmentaldecontamination. Fungal culture monitoringshould be performed every 2-4 weeks untilmycological cure (two or three negative consecutivefungal cultures) (10).Prevention of infectionAfter resolution of infection animals and humansremain immune to re-infection for the certainperiod of time. The longest immunity persists at theskin of the previous infected site (45) while generalimmunity in cats can last at least 8 months (46).Based on the results of one study delayed intradermaltesting (IDT) with M. canis extract can be usedto asses the cellular immune response of cats withdermatophytosis (47). For prevention as resolutionpolymorphonuclear neutrophils and macrophagesare undoubtedly responsible (3). Unfortunatelykilled or recombinant vaccines don’t protect animalsagainst experimental infection nor they allowthe vaccinated animals to recover more quickly thanthe control ones (3).Several commercial vaccines against feline dermatophytosisare available but their prophylacticefficacy has not been reported (10). In contrastvaccination against ringworm in other species(cattle, horses, fur-bearing animals) has been spectacularlysuccessful in many countries. Their usehas reduced the incidence of the disease in theseanimals considerably and indirectly contributed tothe reduction of human infections. However theseattenuated vaccines frequently induce small lesionsat the injection site and subsequent disseminationof arthrospores into the environment. In a farm ora ranch situation, this may be of negligible consequenceas long as all animals are included in thevaccination programme. However for cats whichare generally housed indoors and have frequentand close contact with their owners, a live-fungusvaccine, able of producing active lesions, is highlyundesirable because of the zoonotic hazard (3).Environmental contamination can be importantsource of recurrent or persistent infection inone household. In one survey 100% environmentalcontamination of air and surfaces was found whereinfected cats were kept but less than 50% environmentalcontamination was found where infecteddogs were kept, showing that infected cats appearto cause substantial environmental contamination,and provoke a substantial presence of viable airbornefungal elements (48).In the household harbouring infected dog or catone can prevent spreading of infection to other inhabitantsby strict environmental disinfection andpersonal hygiene measures (see treatment chapter).A part of routine management of a cat that havebeen found and adopted, should always be fungalculturing. Adopted animal should be quarantinedtill the results of culturing are obtained.Environmental treatmentEnvironmental treatment is as important asanimal treatment since fungal arthrospores canremain viable and contagious on infected hairs atleast 18 months (6, 49). For environmental treatmentof cats’ and dogs’ habitat chlorhexidine orenilconazole was prooved effective. In Slovenia chlorhexidineis available as a powder (Virkon-S R , Krka)mixed in a 5% solution with water. We can also useenilconazole (Zoniton R , Krka) mixed 20 ml with 1 Lof water. The first treatment is more cost-effective.The textiles should be washed at minimum 50°C ifpossible (6).Environmental treatment of stables and farmfacilities is best executed with fungicydal desinfectants,like 3% kaptan, 3% kresol or 50% kalii peroxisulphate(Virkon-S R , Krka) (32).