title: An intrafamilial transmission of Arthroderma benhamiae in Canadian porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) in a Japanese zoo.
abstract: An intra-familial transmission of Arthroderma benhamiae in Canadian porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) housed in a Japanese zoo was studied. The family consisted of an adult couple and two offspring (a male and a female). The porcupettes, born in Japan, showed severe hair loss while the parent animals, imported from the USA. (male) and Canada (female), showed mild symptoms or were asymptomatic. Morphologically identical Tricophyton spp. isolates were recovered within seven days from quills of all animals on chloramphenicol-supplemented potato dextrose agar plates incubated at 37 degrees C. Two representative colonies from each animal were identified as Arthroderma benhamiae Americano-European race based on mating type (+) and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1-5.5S-ITS 2 region of the rRNA gene sequences (AB236404-AB236408). The present cases constituted the second isolation of dermatophytes from porcupines. There were two different ITS types, i.e., the predominant one isolated from all animals and a secondary one recovered from only the mother porcupine. The sequences have never been recorded in Japan or in the GenBank database to the best of our knowledge. In addition, they were located at a cluster involving the type strain and mating strains of A. benhamiae Americano-European race and its F1 progeny. In contrast, 28 rodents (eight species) and three insectivora (1 species) exhibited in the petting zoo were negative for any dermatophytes as determined by culture.
authors.affiliation: Medical Mycology Research Center (formerly Research Center for Pathogenic Fungi and Microbial Toxicoses), Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi-Kyuhachi
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yarita
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.forename: Tomo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inomata
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo / Q000382:microbiology*; D003883:Arthrodermataceae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D046328:Porcupines / Q000382:microbiology*; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer