SURVEY OF DERMATOPHYTES IN THE HAIR OF SMALL MAMMALS FROM AUSTRIA

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 27  (1) , 83-87
Abstract
Apparently healthy hair of insectivores and rodents originating from 2 regions situated at different altitudes in Austria was examined for the presence of dermatophytes. Microsporum persicolor, Trichophyton georgiae, T. mentagrophytes var. erinacei, T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes and T. terrestre were recovered from the hair of 27 animals (32.9%) belonging to 10 spp. The results revealed evident specificity of dermatophytes to host mammals irrespective of the effect of different altitude of localities. The existence of dermatophytes in healthy hair of mammals is due to mere contamination from environment (findings of geophilic species) or to inapparent infection (findings of zoophilic species).