Cutaneous mycoflora and CD4:CD8 ratio of cats infected with feline immunodeficiency virus.
This study was designed to compare cutaneous mycoflora isolation and CD4+:CD8+ ratio in feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-infected cats with that in FIV-uninfected cats. Sixty cats were examined. Twenty-five were FIV-infected cats and 35 were FIV-uninfected cats. All 60 cats were FeLV-negative. Fungi were speciated and immunophenotyping of peripheral CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes was performed. At least one fungal colony was isolated from 22/25 (88%) FIV-infected cats. Among the FIV-uninfected cats fungal colonies were recovered from 13/35 (37%) specimens. Dermatophytes were recovered from 2/25 (8%) FIV-infected cats (one Microsporum gypseum, one Microsporum canis) and 3/35 (8.5%) FIV-uninfected cats (M gypseum). Malassezia species was the most commonly isolated organism from both groups of cats (51.6%). Malassezia species was more commonly isolated from FIV-infected cats than FIV-uninfected cats (84% vs 28.6%). The CD4+ to CD8+ lymphocyte ratio for FIV-infected cats was significantly lower than the CD4+ to CD8+ ratio in the FIV-uninfected cats. The CD4+ to CD8+ lymphocyte ratio for FIV-infected cats with cutaneous overall fungal isolation was significantly lower than the CD4:CD8 lymphocyte ratio in the FIV-infected cats but without cutaneous fungal isolation. We can conclude that immunologic depletion due to retroviral infection might represent a risk factor to cutaneous fungal colonization in cats.
Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, CEP: 05508-270 São Paulo, Brazil. valdorec@usp.br
Archivaldo
A
Reche
Alexandre G T
AG
Daniel
Telma C P
TC
Lazaro Strauss
Carlos P
CP
Taborda
Shirlei A
SA
Vieira Marques
Kátia
K
Haipek
Lilian J
LJ
Oliveira
Janaína M
JM
Monteiro
José R
JR
Kfoury
D000818:Animals; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio / Q000662:veterinary*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002415:Cats; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors