title: Humoral immune responses in cats with dermatophytosis.
abstract: The IgG and IgM classes of antibodies to a water-soluble antigen preparation derived from Microsporum canis were determined by ELISA in the sera of 79 cats with dermatophytosis confirmed by results of fungal culture, and of 46 specific-pathogen-free-derived, barrier-maintained cats with no previous exposure to dermatophytes. Of the 79 cats with dermatophytosis, the species isolated were: M canis from 72, M gypseum from 6, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes from 1. Concentrations of soluble M canis antigen-specific IgG and IgM were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the cats with dermatophytosis than in the control cats. The IgG concentration was > or = 2.0 ELISA units/ml ml in 71% of the cats with dermatophytosis and in 9% of the control cats, whereas IgM concentration was > or = 4.0 ELISA units/ml in 38% of the cats with dermatophytosis and in 11% of control cats. There was no significant difference in either IgG or IgM values between the cats with M canis infection and those with other non-M canis dermatophyte infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, UK.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Sparkes
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Stokes
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gruffydd-Jones
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D002415:Cats; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008864:Microsporum / Q000276:immunology*; D014005:Tinea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary; D014249:Trichophyton / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M