Authors : Hayatrouhi Ali, Jamshidi Shahram, Bayat Mansour, Shabestari Asl Ali, Mohammadi Parviz, Mashhadi Rafie Siamak and Bizhan Mahmoudi
Abstract: Malassezia species are commensal organisms of human and animal skin that occasionally act as opportunistic pathogens. The lipid-dependent species are associated with human skin disorders whereas the non-lipid-dependent species (Malassezia pachydermatis) is considered as an opportunistic secondary pathogen affecting the canine skin surface and ear canal. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of canine malassezia organisms (Pachydermatis species) present on the body sites exposed to contact with the animal using the Culture Method; in another side to identify and isolate different species of Malassezia on the skin of studied individuals. In this study which performed in Tabriz, skin samples were obtained from 40 clinically healthy individuals who owned pet dogs. The Skin Brush Method was used for collecting skin samples. These samples were collected from four body sites including the chest, neck, palm and the interdigital surfaces of the fingers for the microscopic examination and culture. The frequency of malassezia infection was 30% among pet owners. The isolated species were M. japonica (31%), M. globosa (18.8%) and the species with unknown culture pattern (50%). The most common site among the studied sites was the chest (with 80% infection). Not isolating Pachydermatis species from the dog owners can show the low probability of infection transmission resulting from dogs and human beings relations, nevertheless if the malassezia infection exists, the possibility of the infection transmission should be considered.
Hayatrouhi Ali, Jamshidi Shahram, Bayat Mansour, Shabestari Asl Ali, Mohammadi Parviz, Mashhadi Rafie Siamak and Bizhan Mahmoudi, 2012. Identification of Different Malassezia Species Isolated from Skin of Healthy Dog Owners in Tabriz, Iran. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 11: 421-425.