title: Detection of seasonal asymptomatic dermatophytes in Van cats.
abstract: The Van cat is a domestic landrace found in the Van province of eastern Turkey. In this study, we aimed to determine the seasonal carriage of dermatophytes in Van cats without clinical lesions. A total of 264 hair specimens were collected from clinically healthy cats in and around the Van Province. Of these samples, 30.3% were obtained in spring, 30.6% in summer, 16.6% in autumn, and 22.3% in winter; 45.1% of samples were from male cats and the rest from female ones. Of the studied cats, 118 were younger than 1 year, 78 were 1-3 years old, and 68 were older than 3 years. The specimens were subjected to direct microscopic examination with 15% potassium hydroxide and cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar and dermatophyte test medium supplemented with cycloheximide and chloramphenicol. Dermatophyte identification was carried out based on macroscopic and microscopic colony morphology, urease activities, in vitro hair perforation test, growth at 37°C, and pigmentation on corn meal agar. Dermatophytes were isolated from 19 (7.1%) of the 264 specimens examined. The most frequently isolated fungi were Trichophyton terrestre (4.1%), followed by Microsporum gypseum (1.1%), M. nanum (1.1%), and T. mentagrophytes (0.7%), and these fungi may represent a health risk for humans in contact with clinically healthy Van cats. M. canis was not isolated from any of the specimens. Our results show no significant (p>0.05) association between carriage of dermatophytes and the gender of cats. The carriage rate of dermatophytes was high in spring and winter, and the only possible risk factor for infection was age of the animal.
authors.affiliation: Yuzuncu Yıl University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Microbiology, 65080 Van, Turkey. Electronic address: zilhan@yyu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Ziya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ilhan
authors.affiliation: Yuzuncu Yıl University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, 65080 Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.affiliation: Yuzuncu Yıl University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Microbiology, 65080 Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ismail Hakki
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Ekin
authors.affiliation: Yuzuncu Yıl University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, 65080 Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Solmaz
authors.affiliation: Yuzuncu Yıl University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, 65080 Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan Altan
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Akkan
authors.affiliation: Ondokuz Mayıs University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, 55270 Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tutuncu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003883:Arthrodermataceae / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002415:Cats; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D008853:Microscopy; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D014005:Tinea / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D010860:Pigments, Biological
keywords: Carriage; Dermatophytes; Isolation; Van cat