Title
Evaluation of cats as the source of endemic sporotrichosis in Peru
Date Issued
01 February 2008
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Abstract
Although contact with domestic cats has been shown to be a risk factor for sporotrichosis in endemic areas, systematic evaluation of apparently unaffected cats as possible reservoirs for infection has not been explored. The goals of this study were to identify the following aspects of sporotrichosis in the endemic area of Abancay, Peru: (i) the overall prevalence of sporotrichosis in the cat population, (ii) the most common site where the fungus can be isolated from these cats, and (iii) whether cats without identifiable skin lesions may be carriers of the fungus in the oral mucosa, nasal mucosa, or nails. One household cat in each of 85 neighborhoods within the endemic area of Abancay, Peru was randomly selected. Oral and nasal swabs, as well as nail clippings were taken from 84 of the cats. In addition, samples from skin lesions that were suspected to be due to sporotrichosis were collected from cats or members of families that owned the pets. Cultures inoculated with two nasal swabs and one set of nail clippings from two different cats yielded Sporothrix schenckii, the identity of which were confirmed by rDNA sequencing. The overall prevalence of Sporothrix schenckii colonization was 2.38% (95% CI 0.41-9.14) in this cat population. None of the skin lesion samples from the cats and only one such sample from a family member were positive for Sporothrix schenckii in culture. These results suggest a role for domestic cats as a possible reservoir for sporotrichosis infection in Abancay.
Start page
53
End page
56
Volume
46
Issue
1
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Zoología, Ornitología, Entomología, ciencias biológicas del comportamiento
Enfermedades infecciosas
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-39749183424
PubMed ID
Source
Medical Mycology
ISSN of the container
14602709
Sponsor(s)
Funding sources: James N. Gilliam Chair funding for clinical research of the University of Texas South-western Department of Dermatology. No conflicts of interest disclosed.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus