Keratinopathogenic mould fungi and dermatophytes in healthy and diseased hooves of horses.

The research article focuses on investigating the relationship between hoof diseases in horses, particularly hoof horn lesions, and the presence of pathogenic fungi. The results reveal that pathogenic fungi are significantly more prevalent in horses with hoof lesions.

Method of Research

• The researchers studied specimens of hoof horn from 187 horses.
• These specimens were taken from different parts of the horses’ hooves and placed on a medium called Sabouraud dextrose agar, with and without the inclusion of a substance known as cycloheximide.
• The samples were incubated at a temperature of 28 degrees Celsius.
• Then, the researchers identified any dermatophytes (a type of fungus that causes skin diseases) and mould fungi through their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics.

Research Findings

• The researchers identified and categorized 732 total isolates into 26 species of moulds, five different species of dermatophytes (two types of Microsporum and three stypes of Trichophyton).
• These were grouped based on their known pathogenicity into three categories: keratinopathogenic (those known to cause diseases in keratin-rich tissues such as hair, nails, and the hoof’s horny epidermal tissue), uncertain pathogenicity, and non-pathogenic species.
• Horses with hoof horn lesions had a higher occurrence (80%) of keratinopathogenic fungi compared to those with lesser hoof afflictions (66.7%), while horses with healthy hooves had only 8.9% prevalence of these fungi.
• The study did not find a significant correlation between the occurrence of keratinopathogenic fungi and age, sex, breed of the horses, or environmental factors such as the bedding and cleanliness.
• Air samples collected from the horses’ stables did produce 12 species of fungi, but none of them belonged to the keratinopathogenic category.

Conclusion

• The research underscores the importance of fungal pathogens, particularly keratinopathogenic fungi, in hoof diseases of horses. It informs how equine health management, specifically hoof care, can be more targeted in future.