TY - JOUR AU - Hameed, Khalid AU - Riaz Ch, Farhana AU - Nawaz, Muhammad Ali AU - Naqvi, Syed Muhammad Saqlan AU - Gräser, Yvonne AU - Kupsch, Christiane AU - Pasquetti, Mario AU - Rossi, Luca AU - Molinar Min, Anna Rita AU - Tizzani, Paolo AU - Chiavassa, Elisa AU - Peano, Andrea PY - 2017/04/30 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Trichophyton verrucosum infection in livestock in the Chitral district of Pakistan JF - The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries JA - J Infect Dev Ctries VL - 11 IS - 04 SE - Original Articles DO - 10.3855/jidc.7925 UR - https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/28459224 SP - 326-333 AB - <p class="SmallText">Introduction: <em>Trichophyton verrucosum</em> belongs to the dermatophyte fungi, closely related organisms that cause skin infections in animals and humans. <em>T. verrucosum</em> infection has been reported in livestock and people in different countries from all continents. Human cases have been reported in different areas of Pakistan, but there is little information about the animal source of the fungus.</p> <p class="SmallText">Methodology: Dermatological specimens collected in the Chitral district of Pakistan for a study on mange in livestock were retrospectively analyzed for the presence of <em>T. verrucosum</em>. In total, 5,873 animals (1,087 cows, 2,033 goats, and 2,753 sheep) were screened for evidence of dermatological lesions during two surveys performed in the summer and winter seasons. Skin scrapings collected from animals with lesions were analyzed by direct microscopic examination after digestion in sodium hydroxide and a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting pathogenic <em>Trichophyton</em> species.</p> <p class="SmallText">Results: At microscopy, samples from 18 cows (1.6%), 3 sheep (0.1%), and 4 goats (0.2%) were positive for fungal elements consistent with <em>T. verrucosum</em>. PCR confirmed the microscopy results. The prevalence was lower than that reported in other countries in intensive breeding farms. Results agree with the literature regarding factors affecting <em>T. verrucosum</em> diffusion, <em>i.e.</em>, infection was more prevalent in cattle, especially in younger animals during the winter season.</p> <p class="SmallText">Conclusions: This study reports, for the first time, the presence of <em>T. verrucosum</em> in livestock in Pakistan. A better knowledge of the animal role in the spread of this fungus may allow the adoption of more efficient control measures and prophylaxis.</p> ER -