title: [Dermatophyte colonization on guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) kept in pet stores. First report from Santiago, Chile].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dermatophytes are pathogenic fungi that can be present in the flora of mammals, such as dogs, cats and rodents, which can be a source and transmission vehicle to other hosts, including humans. In Chile, there is a steady increase of acquiring guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) as pets, with no local studies on their colonization by dermatophytes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the presence of dermatophytes on clinically healthy guinea pigs, kept in pet stores in Santiago, Chile.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 52 clinically healthy animals were studied using the method by Mariat and Tapia (1966). The specimen culture and identification of the dermatophytes were performed using classical mycological procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four guinea pigs (7.7%) out of 52 were colonized by dermatophytes, and were identified as Trichophyton mentagrophytes (3 cases) and Trichophyton verrucosum (one case).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows, for the first time in Chile, that guinea pigs can be colonized by dermatophytes, which should alert administrators of pet stores, veterinarians and physicians, to keep this in mind when purchasing or looking after this type of pet in a veterinary office.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Microbiología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Santo Tomás, Santiago, Chile. Electronic address: ptm_thomson@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Microbiología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Santo Tomás, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Monsalves
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Microbiología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Santo Tomás, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Tecnología Médica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003883:Arthrodermataceae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002677:Chile; D003132:Commerce; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs / Q000382:microbiology*; D006197:Hair / Q000382:microbiology; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008297:Male; D057805:Pets / Q000382:microbiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology; D014005:Tinea / Q000635:transmission*; D014249:Trichophyton / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015047:Zoonoses
keywords: Colonización; Colonization; Cuyes; Dermatofitos; Dermatophytes; Guinea pigs