Isolation and identification of Trichophyton mentagrophytes as a cause of fungal otitis in cats: Case Report

Abstract

The objective of this study was to report a case of fungal otitis in a cat treated at the University Veterinary Hospital Campus Professor Cinobelina Elvas of the Federal University of Piauí, Bom Jesus-PI. The animal was found, abandoned on the street, showing signs of necrosis and destruction of the auricular cartilage and was washed for care. It was a feline, females, about two years old with a picture of dermatological lesions on the head. Anamnesis was performed where myiasis was present. The general physical examination showed that the animal had a poor general physical condition, with dehydration, weight loss, wet dermatitis with destruction of the auricular cartilage bilaterally, and an area of caudal necrosis to the implantation of the left atrial cartilage. Before the signs were suspected of neoplasia or sporotrichosis. Material was collected for laboratory tests. Aspiration cytology showed no signs of neoplasia. In the scraping of the skin was evidenced the presence of fungi that in the culture revealed to be Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The initial treatment of the animal, in addition to the removal of the myiasis, was with antibiotic therapy with penicillin (24,000 IU/kg) and streptomycin (10mg/kg)/q5d/IM, cleaning and daily dressings. After the culture was started treatment with itraconazole 5 mg/kg/BID was orally administered, but the treatment was interrupted because the animal had escaped and was no longer found. Thus, the importance of complementary means for diagnosis of this type of pathology, as well as the importance of identifying the etiological agent of the process, in order to prevent the animal from suffering irreversible tissue loss and passing through great discomforts is observed.