Dermatophytosis in rescued cats and the correlation between Wood’s lamp reactivity and fungal culture test
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31533/pubvet.v19n08e1821Keywords:
Dermatopathies, diagnosis, veterinary mycology, zoonosisAbstract
This study aimed to describe the clinical profile of rescued cats diagnosed with dermatophytosis and to analyse the association between Wood’s lamp reactivity and fungal culture results. This research was conducted based on the routine care practices of a feline rescue shelter. A total of 70 cats with clinical suspicion of dermatophytosis were included. Each animal underwent examination using a Wood’s lamp and sample collection for fungal culture test. Among them, 34 tested positive by fungal culture, of which 32.4% were female and 67.6% male. Regarding age, 23.5% were kittens, 67.6% adults, and 8.8% seniors. Most rescues originated from the streets (58.8%). The most commonly observed clinical signs were pruritus (82.4%), alopecia (79.4%), and scaling (58.8%), with lesions predominantly located on the head (58.8%) and body (35.3%). To assess the statistical correlation between Wood’s lamp reactivity and positive fungal culture test results, data were arranged in a 2x2 contingency table and analysed using Pearson’s chi-square test of independence and the Phi coefficient (φ). The analysis revealed a statistically significant association between Wood’s lamp positivity and fungal growth in culture (P < 0.05), with a φ coefficient of 0.319, indicating a moderate positive correlation between the variables. These findings suggest that the fluorescence detected under Wood’s lamp has relevant predictive value and may assist in the early clinical diagnosis of dermatophytosis in rescued cats, particularly in shelter triage settings. It is concluded that while Wood’s lamp examination is a useful complementary diagnostic tool, it is not definitive and should be interpreted alongside clinical signs and laboratory tests to ensure greater diagnostic accuracy.
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