Malassezia spp. Overgrowth in a Chinchilla Cat

Year 2018, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 35 - 41, 24.12.2018

Cansu Çomak , Ebubekir Ceylan

Abstract

ASTRACT

Malassezia spp. is a commensal yeast
organism that is a normal resident of the skin, mucosa, and ear canals. A castrated
male, 4-year-old Chinchilla cat, was
brought with hair loss and skin lesions on ears,
face and  arms. Skin scrapings were collected from the lesions.
Terbinafine HCl (Hnilica and Patterson, 2017), Omega 3 and Omega 6 essansial fatty acid supplement (Megaderm®,
Virbac ) were administered to the patient.

 

INTRODUCTION

The genus Malassezia consists of lipophilic
yeasts, which are components of the cutaneous microflora of many warm-blooded
animals including humans. This genus has recently been revised, based on
morphological, physiological and molecular criteria, to include six
lipid-dependent and one nonlipid-dependent species. The lipid-dependent yeasts
are represented by M. furfur, M. globosa, M. obtusa, M.
restricta, M. slooffiae and M. sympodialis. However, new
lipid-dependent species have been recently identified, including M. japonica,
M. yamatoensis, M. dermatis and M. nana; the latter two are
closely related to M. sympodialis (Ordeix et al., 2007)

M. pachydermatis, the nonlipid-dependent yeast, has been considered to be a zoophilic
yeast because it is frequently isolated from wild and domestic animals,
particularly dogs and cats. In dogs and cats, Malassezia pachydermatis colonizes the
skin soon after birth, and is the primary yeast species associated with skin
and ear disease. Malassezia are part of the normal cutaneous flora on healthy
dogs and cats, with the principal carriage sites being the mucocutaneous areas,
ears and interdigital regions. But in some
cases, they can grow and reproduce in abnormal numbers and result in clinical
disease. Predisposing factors for Malassezia spp. overgrowth on feline
skin are unknown.(Hnilica and Patterson, 2017) In a retrospective study, the presence of Malassezia spp.
on histopathological cutaneous sections was frequently related to thymoma‐associated
dermatitis and paraneoplastic alopecia. In addition, Malassezia spp.
have been more frequently isolated from healthy ear canals and skin in feline
leukaemia (FeLV)‐ or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)‐infected cats than in
those noninfected. Based on these findings, Malassezia spp. overgrowth
in cats is reported as a marker of serious, underlying diseases, including
retrovirus infection and neoplasia. (Mauldin et al., 2002) However, Malassezia spp. overgrowth has been described
also in feline localized benign exfoliative skin diseases, such as chin acne
and the idiopathic facial dermatitis of Persian cats (Bond et al., 2000). The most common symptom of Malassezial dermatitis in cats are
hair loss, chin acne, redness and seborrhoea (P. V. Tresamol, 2012). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASE

A castrated male 4 -years-old Chinchilla cat
presented with a complaint of
hair loss and skin lesions on ears, face, forearm and abdomen. There are no other cats in the household. She
is up-to-date on her vaccines and is fed a high quality, nutritionally
balanced, commercial diet. She had no history of medical disease. The owner realised hair loss on
his forearm 2,5 months ago. She had two shots of Biocan-M (Micamfin®) in
another veterinary clinic.

                                                                        
                  

    Figure 1. Ears of the cat, Hyperkeratosis.

Figure
2. Ventral abdomen, erythema.

 

On
clinical examination, areas of alopecia with change in the color, erythema,
desquamation and seborrhoea were observed. Ectoparasitic infestation was ruled
out by dermatological examination. Ultraviolet (Wood’s lamp ) examination were
positive. Cat referred for evaluation of Malassezia spp. overgrowth
using the tape strip method. A piece of clear acetate tape was applied
successively to lesional skin, two to three times. Sample was stained using
Diff‐Quick® (Tıp-Kimsan, Turkey) and placed on a glass slide for microscopic
examination. Several random fields of each slide were examined at 40x
magnification. Malassezia spp. was established.

Routine serum biochemical parameters were in
normal ranges. Haematological parameters were normal with exception of a slight
monocytosis at 1.6 10⁹/l (normal ranges,0.2:1.0 10⁹/l). (Eos vet, Veterinary
Heamotolgu Analiser Exigo, Sweden).

At
general anesthesia, two punch biopsies were taken from face, in front of ears
and sent to the laboratory. As a protective antibiotic, she got Convenia® (Zoetis).
The results from laboratory confirmed the acetate tape method (Figure 2, Figure
3).

Figure 3.
Section from a skin specimen of a
cat, Malasseziasis.

Figure 4. Section from a skin specimen of a cat, Hyperkeratosis.

 

The
animal was treated with Terbinafine HCL @ 30 mg /Kg BW, Megaderm® (Virbac)
sachet orally and topical application of Ecosin ® (BARD, Czech Repulic) (once
in a week) for a period of three weeks. The condition of the animal improved by
tenth day and it was advised to continue treatment for three more weeks.

Figure 5. End of the treatment.

DISCUSSION

In
cats, generalized Malassezia dermatitis remains extremely rare. In cats,
Malassezia overgrowth has since been associated with retroviral infections,
paraneoplastic syndromes, thymoma, and diabetes mellitus. (Godfrey, 1998) In a retrospective study, (Mauldin et al.,
2002) evaluated the presence and importance of Malassezia yeasts in feline skin
biopsy specimens. Based on these findings and the descriptions of the present
study, Malassezia overgrowth should be considered as a marker of
life-threatening, underlying diseases in cats. Malassezia yeasts have also been
associated with feline acne and idiopathic facial dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis
has been described as a common predisposing factor for Malassezia dermatitis in
dogs, whereas this association has been reported less frequently in cats. In a
series of 18 allergic cats with Malassezia spp. overgrowth, atopic dermatitis
was diagnosed in 16 animals. All the cats were otherwise healthy and those
tested were free from retroviral infections. The beneficial effects of azole antifungal
therapy alone in five out of seven of these cats led the authors to conclude
that Malassezia yeasts can exacerbate the clinical signs of allergy in cats as
well as in dogs. Two out of six cases of the present report were associated
with cutaneous food adverse reaction, and topical antifungal therapy was
useful. In atopic animals, cutaneous lesions related to Malassezia overgrowth
commonly occur on the face, ventral neck, abdomen and ear canals (Ordeix et al.,
2007). The factors involved in the transition, from
commensalism to parasitism, by Malassezia yeasts in cats are not fully understood
(Crosaz et al.,
2013).

Malassezia yeast normally colonize the skin and
external ear canals of animals in very low numbers, but in a diseased state,
alterations to the skin contribute to increased susceptibility to infection.
Alteration in surface lipids, increased moisture and humidity, increased
staphylococcus numbers and/or disruption of the stratum corneum barrier
function encourages overgrowth of the yeast organism. Primary diseases that can
cause these changes include endocrine disorders, allergic disease, parasitic
disease, metabolic disease (such as superficial necrolytic dermatitis in dogs),
and thymoma-associated dermatoses in cats.

In
this case, owner of the cat didn’t let us to do more tests to find the
underlying reason. Again, to achieve a good clinical response to treatment, all
efforts should be made to identify and correct the predisposing factors
(allergy, hormonal disturbances, neoplasia, immunedeficiencies, etc).

 

REFERENCES

Bond R, Curtis CF, Ferguson EA, Mason
IS and Rest J. Bond, Curtis, Ferguson, Mason, Rest, 2000. An idiopathic facial
dermatitis of Persian cats. Veterinary Dermatology 11, 35-41.

Crosaz, O., Legras, A.,
Vilaplana-Grosso, F., Debeaupuits, J., Chermette, R., Hubert, B., Guillot, J.,
2013. Generalized dermatitis associated with Malassezia overgrowth in cats: A
report of six cases in France. Med Mycol Case Rep 2, 59-62.

Godfrey, D.R., 1998. A case of feline
paraneoplastic alopecia with secondary Malossezia-associated dermatitis.  39,
394-396.

Hnilica, K.A., Patterson, A.P., 2017.
Small Animal Dermatology: A Color Atlas and Therapeutic Guide, 4th Edition, Vol
4th Edition;94-131 Elsivier.

Mauldin, E.A., Morris, D.O.,
Goldschmidt, M.H., 2002. Retrospective study: the presence of Malassezia in
feline skin biopsies. A clinicopathological study.  13, 7-14.

Ordeix, L., Galeotti, F., Scarampella,
F., Dedola, C., Bardagi, M., Romano, E., Fondati, A., 2007. Malassezia spp.
overgrowth in allergic cats. Vet Dermatol
18, 316-323.

P. V. Tresamol, M.G.S., K. Vinodkumar
and S. Ajithkumar 2012. MALASSEZIAL DERMATITIS IN A CAT-A CASE.pdf. J. Vet.
Anim.Sci. 43 : 81-82.

Keywords

Malassezia, cat, dermatitis, predisposing factor

References

• Bond R, Curtis CF, Ferguson EA, Mason IS and Rest J. 2000. An idiopathic facial dermatitis of Persian cats. Veterinary Dermatology 11, 35-41.
• Crosaz, O., Legras, A., Vilaplana-Grosso, F., Debeaupuits, J., Chermette, R., Hubert, B., Guillot, J., 2013. Generalized dermatitis associated with Malassezia overgrowth in cats: A report of six cases in France. Med Mycol Case Rep 2, 59-62.
• Godfrey, D.R., 1998. A case of feline paraneoplastic alopecia with secondary Malossezia-associated dermatitis. 39, 394-396.
• Hnilica, K.A., Patterson, A.P., 2017. Small Animal Dermatology: A Color Atlas and Therapeutic Guide, 4th Edition, Vol 4th Edition;94-131. Elsivier.
• Mauldin, E.A., Morris, D.O., Goldschmidt, M.H., 2002. Retrospective study: the presence of Malassezia in feline skin biopsies. A clinicopathological study. 13, 7-14.
• Ordeix, L., Galeotti, F., Scarampella, F., Dedola, C., Bardagi, M., Romano, E., Fondati, A., 2007. Malassezia spp. overgrowth in allergic cats. Vet Dermatol 18, 316-323.
• P. V. Tresamol, M.G.S., K. Vinodkumar and S. Ajithkumar 2012. MALASSEZIAL DERMATITIS IN A CAT-A CASE.pdf. J. Vet. Anim.Sci. 43 : 81-82.