title: [Microsporum canis on dermatologically healthy cats in Temuco city, Chile].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microsporum canis is the most common cause of feline dermatophytosis and the most pathogenic fungus isolated from the skin and hair of healthy cats. Cats are considered to be the natural reservoir and infection sourse of this disease in human and domestic animals.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Knowing the M. canis frequency in the dermatological healthy cat population of Temuco city, Chile.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty cat samples were collected irrespective sex or race. Cats' ages were between 2 months and 12 years old, and the animals were treated at the Veterinary Clinical Hospital of the Universidad Católica de Temuco, or in three private clinics from this city. Tissue and hair samples were collected using two sampling techniques: hair extracting tweezers and the Mariat & Tapia method. For the clinical diagnosis, the Wood's lamp was used. Hairs were microscopically observed followed by a culture using Sabouraud agar and Lactrimel agar. M.canis was isolated in 30 cats (60%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significative differences when parameters such as age, sex and race were taking into account. Differences between the use of Sabouraud agar and Lactrimel agar were not registered. It was determined that the Mariat & Tapia method was able to detect more dermatophytes than the collecting tweezers method. These differences were statistically significative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The percentage of M. canis isolation obtained in this work remarks the role of healthy cats in the transmission of these dermatophytes to humans and other animals.
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Chile. obetanco@uct.cl
authors.forename: Oriana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Betancourt
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salas
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Otarola
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zaror
authors.forename: Estrella
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salas
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neumann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats / Q000382:microbiology*; D002677:Chile; D008864:Microsporum / Q000302:isolation & purification*