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Home / Equine Research Bank / Braz J Microbiol / Is Malassezia nana the main species in horses’ ear can...
Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]2016; 47(3); 770-774; doi: 10.1016/j.bjm.2016.04.017

Is Malassezia nana the main species in horses’ ear canal microbiome?

Abstract: The objective of this study was to characterize genotypically Malassezia spp. isolated from the external ear canal of healthy horses. Fifty-five horses, 39 (70.9%) males and 16 (29.1%) females, from different breeds and adults were studied. External ear canals were cleaned and a sterile cotton swab was introduced to collect cerumen. A total of 110 samples were cultured into Dixon medium and were incubated at 32°C for up to 15 days. Macro- and micromorphology and phenotypic identification were performed. DNA was extracted, strains were submitted to polymerase chain reaction technique, and the products obtained were submitted to Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism using the restriction enzymes BstCI and HhaI. Strains were sent off to genetic sequencing of the regions 26S rDNA D1/D2 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA. Malassezia spp. were isolated from 33/55 (60%) animals and 52/110 (47%) ear canals. No growth on Sabouraud dextrose agar was observed, confirming the lipid dependence of all strains. Polymerase chain reaction-Restriction fragment length polymorphism permitted the molecular identification of Malassezia nana - 42/52 (81%) and Malassezia slooffiae - 10/52 (19%). Sequencing confirmed RFLP identification. It was surprising that M. nana represented over 80% of the strains and no Malassezia equina was isolated in this study, differing from what was expected.
Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2016-04-29 PubMed ID: 27287335PubMed Central: PMC4927644DOI: 10.1016/j.bjm.2016.04.017Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article describes a study which sought to identify the types of Malassezia species found in the ear canals of horses, and found that a species named Malassezia nana was present in the majority of horses studied.

Study Design and Methodology

  • The researchers sampled the ear canal microbiome of 55 adult horses with different breeds, of which 39 were male and 16 were female.
  • Each horse’s outer ear was cleaned and a sterile cotton swab was used to collect a cerumen (earwax) sample.
  • The study involved a total of 110 sample collections which were then cultivated in a type of nutrient medium specifically used for cultivating fungi – Dixon medium. The cultivated samples were left to incubate at 32 degrees Celsius for up to 15 days.

Identification and Characterization of Malassezia species

  • The Malassezia yeast strains were characterized and identified based on their macro and micromorphology (appearance and chemical behaviour), and phenotypic identification was carried out.
  • Genomic DNA was extracted from the yeast strains for genotypic characterization using a technique known as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
  • The PCR products were then subjected to a molecular fingerprinting technique, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP), using the restriction enzymes BstCI and HhaI.

Results of the Study

  • Malassezia species were found in 33 out of 55 horses and in 52 of the 110 ear canals sampled.
  • The strains were found to be dependent on lipids because of their non-growth on Sabouraud dextrose agar, a type of agar medium that lacks lipids.
  • PCR-RFLP allowed for the identification of two distinct species of Malassezia: Malassezia nana, which was the predominant species found in 42 out of 52 ear canals (81%), and Malassezia slooffiae, which was found in 10 out of 52 ear canals (19%). These results were then confirmed via genetic sequencing of certain regions of the fungal DNA (26S rDNA D1/D2 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA).
  • The results were surprising because there were no instances of the species Malassezia equina, contrary to what was expected.

Study Conclusion

  • The study concluded that M. nana was the main Malassezia species found in the external ear canal of horses, and no samples of the regularly expected species, M. equina, were found in this study.

Cite This Article

APA
Aldrovandi AL, Osugui L, Acqua Coutinho SD. (2016). Is Malassezia nana the main species in horses’ ear canal microbiome? Braz J Microbiol, 47(3), 770-774. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjm.2016.04.017

Publication

Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]
ISSN: 1678-4405
NlmUniqueID: 101095924
Country: Brazil
Language: English
Volume: 47
Issue: 3
Pages: 770-774
PII: S1517-8382(16)30280-5

Researcher Affiliations

Aldrovandi, Ana Lúcia
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Universidade Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil.
Osugui, Lika
  • Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Acqua Coutinho, Selene Dall'
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Universidade Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: selene@uol.com.br.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Ear Canal / microbiology
  • Female
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Horses / microbiology
  • Malassezia / classification
  • Malassezia / genetics
  • Malassezia / isolation & purification
  • Male
  • Microbiota
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Houtsaeger C, Pasmans F, Claes I, Vandenabeele S, Haesebrouck F, Lebeer S, Boyen F. The role of the microbiome in allergic dermatitis-related otitis externa: a multi-species comparative review. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1413684.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1413684pubmed: 39736936google scholar: lookup
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