PCR confirmation of common fungal infections in pet animals and determination of antifungal susceptibility

In this study, which aimed to identify fungal infections using microbiological and molecular methods and to evaluate antifungal susceptibilities from skin, hair, and swab samples collected from pets, a total of 60 cats, 29 dogs, 5 rabbits, and 4 birds were examined. Among the cats and rabbits, 40% were female and 60% were male; among the dogs, 41.38% were female and 58.62% were male; and among the birds, 25% were female and 75% were male. Patients younger than 2 years of age accounted for 45.92% of the cases. In 98 samples, fungal elements were detected in 80 samples (81.63%) by 10% KOH test, and in Wood's lamp examination, dermatophyte presence was observed in 30 out of 44 dermatophyte suspected cases. Bacterioscopic analyses identified not only dermatophyte species such as Microsporum canis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes, but also other pathogens like Aspergillus spp., Candida spp., and Malassezia pachydermatis. A total of 65 isolates were processed for PCR analysis. Among the isolates suspected to be Aspergillusspp., 40% were confirmed as Aspergillus flavus and 33.3% as Aspergillus niger; among the isolates suspected to be Trichophyton spp., 28.57% were confirmed as Trichophyton mentagrophytes; and among the isolates suspected to be Microsporum spp., 21.43% were confirmed as Microsporum canis.Based on the results of in vitro antifungal susceptibility tests, econazole demonstrated the highest antifungal activity with broad zone diameters against all Aspergillus spp.-suspected isolates. For M. canis-suspected isolates, both fluconazole and econazole showed high susceptibility, while for T. mentagrophytes-suspected isolates, econazole, clotrimazole, and miconazole exhibited high efficacy. Additionally, it was determined that Candida spp. isolates were resistant to fluconazole. These findings highlight the importance of molecular methods and antifungal susceptibility testing in the diagnosis of fungal infections in pets, providing data to support the development of diagnostic and treatment strategies. Within the framework of the One Health approach, this study emphasizes the interconnectedness of animal and human health. Fungal infections observed in pets have the potential to directly impact public health due to their zoonotic risk. Accurate diagnosis of fungal infections, development of effective treatment strategies, and prevention of the spread of infections are of great importance for both veterinary and medical professionals. Keywords: Antifungal resistance, dermatophytes, genotyping, pet animals, zoonotic fungal infections.