[Detection of dermatomycoses in horses with the dermatophyte test medium Fungassay].

This study probes the efficacy of the dermatophyte test medium Fungassay, using skin scrapings from horses, cattle, and artificially infected guineapigs, concluding that Fungassay underperforms in comparison to traditional mycological culture methods in the detection of dermatomycoses.

Methodology

• The researchers used 200 skin scrapings from horses, 13 from cattle and 13 from artificially infected guinea pigs to inoculate the dermatophyte test medium Fungassay.
• They evaluated the results against control methods that included the alkali method, the fluorescent microscope technique, and the regular mycological culture.

Findings

• When analyzing skin scrapings, the Fungassay culture mediums proved to be inferior to the regular mycological culture.
• During the study, the researchers found fewer dermatophytes isolated using the Fungassay medium and noted an occurrence of both false positive and false negative results.
• Furthermore, the cultivation of a specific type of fungus, Trichophyton verrucosum, was unsuccessful on the dermatophyte test medium Fungassay.

Conclusion

• In light of these observations, the study disapproves the use of the Fungassay culture medium as a reliable method for the detection of dermatomycoses or skin fungal infections in livestock. At least in this study, it did not yield as reliable or as comprehensive results compared to the commonly used mycological culture method.