Three isolations of Chaetomium globosum from erythematous epilation of canine skin

Abstract

Chaetomium globosum is commonly found in natural environments worldwide and is known to be a causative agent for emerging fungal infections. The present study describes a case of erythematous epilation of a dog caused by C. globosum. A mixed-breed young dog, a 4-months-old male, weighing 7.25 kg, showed depilation, scales, and dermatitis with slightly itchiness on his skin. The main symptom was an erythematous epilation on the left subocular skin 7.5 cm in diameter, accompanied by elephantiasis-like hyperplasia and scales. Similar lesions were observed on the skin on both sides of the ear lobes, the heels, tail, and left angulus oris. The scales from the crusted lesion were cultured on chrolamphenicole-added potato dextrose agar plates at the first visit, as well as followed by ambulatory practices. The isolates at the first visit, 1 and 3 weeks after treatment, were identified as C. globosum by mycological study and the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit rRNA gene sequence. The patient dog was treated by ketoconzole both orally and externally. The lesions were cured, showing new hair growth 9 weeks later. In addition, the susceptibilities to antifungal agents for the present C. globosum isolate were as follows: amphotericin B, 4.0 μg/ml; 5-FC 64.0 μg/ml; itraconazole, 0.5 μg/ml; miconazole, 1.0 μg/ml; fulconazole, 16.0 μg/ml; ketoconazole, 0.25 μg/ml; and micafungin, 16.0 μg/ml.