Dermatophytosis

TL;DR. Highly contagious zoonotic fungal skin infection causing patchy hair loss and crusting; needs veterinary antifungals and rigorous environmental decontamination.

Lesions often start around the eyes, nose, and ears.

Cos'è?

Superficial infection of skin, hair follicles, and sometimes nails by dermatophytes. In guinea pigs, Trichophyton mentagrophytes predominates. Spores digest keratin, hairs break, and scaly alopecic patches form. Zoonotic spread to people and other pets is common.

Cause e fattori di rischio

Direct contact with infected animals or asymptomatic carriers; indirect spread via bedding, cages, brushes, and clothing. Risk rises with stress, humid dirty housing, young/pregnant/ill animals, and skin microtrauma.

Segni da osservare

• Alopecia with scaling/crusting (cardinal), often face (nose, eyes, ears)
• Broken hairs, erythema, papules, seborrhea (common)
• Pruritus variable (often mild)
• Asymptomatic carriers; nail-bed disease; kerions (occasional)

Dry flakes, redness, and brittle hairs are classic.

Come diagnosticano i veterinari

Rule out mites and bacterial dermatitis. Wood's lamp is often negative (Trichophyton usually does not fluoresce). Trichogram, fungal culture/PCR; biopsy if needed.

Opzioni di trattamento

Prescription systemic and/or topical antifungals, clip around lesions, isolate affected animals, and aggressively decontaminate the environment (spores are hardy). Screen all contact animals.

Prognosi

Good with complete therapy and hygiene; relapses follow incomplete environmental clean-up or untreated carriers.

Prevenzione

Quarantine newcomers, keep housing dry and clean, reduce stress, practice hand hygiene.

Quando chiamare il veterinario

Book for patchy hair loss and crusts. Urgent if lesions spread fast, the pet stops eating, or people in the home develop skin lesions.

Fonti

• Source references as in the English master article.

My highlights & notes

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