Dept. of Animal Medicine,

Fac. Vet. Medicine, Kafr El-Sheikh, Tanta Univ.

Clinical and Therapeutical Studies

on Dermatophilosis on some farm animals

(With One Table and 12 Figures)

By

M.H. Al-Gaabary

(Received at 18/9/2005)

دراسات إکلينيکية وعلاجية على مرض الدرماتوفيلوسيس

على بعض حيوانات المرزعة

مجدى حسانين الجعبرى

يعد مرض الدرماتوفيلوسيس واحداً من الأمراض المعدية التى تصيب معظم أنواع الحيوانات إلى جانب الإنسان مسببة إصابات جلدية تتراوح ما بين تقصف وتشابک الشعر أو الصوف إلى تساقطه کلية وظهور قشور فى أماکن مختلفة من الجلد. فى هذه الدراسة والتى أجريت على قطيع من الأغنام والماعز وآخر من الأبقار والجاموس (86 ، 22 ، 62 ، 34) على الترتيب تباين توزيع تلک الإصابات على جلد الحيوان تبعاً لنوعه حيث وجدت فى الأغنام والماعز فى مناطق الرأس والأرجل والصدر والبطن بينما اقتصرت فى الأبقار على مناطق الصدر والبطن أما فى الجاموس فکانت الإصابات محدودة ولم تتعد النهايات السفلى للأرجل. وقد تم علاج ثلاث مجموعات من الأغنام حيث تعرضت لثلاث نظم علاجية الأول باستخدام أوکس تتراسيکلين طويل المفعول بالحقن العضلى والثانى باستخدام زيت الثوم موضعيا والثالث باستخدام کليهما معا. وقد أثبتت النتائج أن استخدام زيت الثوم موضعيا أدى إلى معدلات شفاء کاملة وسريعة ودون ارتداد للأعراض مرة أخرى.

Summary

Dermatophilosis is a bacterial disease affecting wide range of animal species in addition to humans. The clinical picture of the disease was studied in a flock of sheep and goats (86 and 22 respectively) and herd of cattle and buffaloes (62 and 34 respectively). The clinical picture was in the form of skin lesions which varied in its severity and distribution owing to species affected. In sheep, the lesions were in the form of irregular area of alopecia with crust formation in the face, ears and legs from the coronet to the knees. Matted, broken or easily detached wool is recorded. The lesions were similar in goats while in cattle the lesions were distributed on the skin of chest and abdomen. In buffaloes it was confined on the distal portion of the legs. Out of the diseased sheep, 18 were classified into 3 groups each of six animals. The first group were treated parentrally using long acting oxytetracycline. Those of the second group were treated topically using garlic oil. The 3^rd group was treated both parentally and topically. It was noticed that garlic oil is highly efficient in treatment of dermatophilosis.

Key words: Animal dermatophilosis, Diagnosis of dermatophilosis,

Treatment of dermatophilosis

Introduction

Dermatophilosis is an enzootic bacterial disease affecting most animal species in addition to humans, particularly those working with livestock (Dean et al., 1961 and yeruham et al., 1991). It may be acute or chronic, partial or progressive exudative dermatitis with subsequent formation of scabs under which the hair or fleece tends to break or be matted together (Hagan and Burner, 1992; Zaria, 1993; Higgins and Write, 1998).

The disease leads to considerable swelling and pain in the affected areas. It may resolve spontaneously or fatal under certain conditions (Sutherland et al., 1991). There is a number of predisposing factors facilitating the infection; Nutritional stress, mechanical trauma to the skin, moisture or rainfall and ectoparasites being at the fore front of these factors (Elisah, 2004) Treatment of dermatophilosis remains a matter of great concern regarding the recurrence of signs as well as the difficulties to cure it using antibiotic by parentral route. On the other side many topical treatment had been tried with variable curative effects Ethanol extracts of leaves of Senna alata, Lantana camera and Mitracarpus scaber were used as topical ointment once daily for 6-15 days resulting in complete healing within 3-4 weeks without recurrence for 3 years (Ali – Emmanuel et al., 2003). Some essential oils (lavander, thymos and garlic were investigated invitro in comparison with povidone iodine. It was demonstrated that garlic oil is the most effective one (Elisah, 2004).

This study aimed to declare the clinical features of dermatophilosis in different  animal species and evaluation of garlic oil as a topical treatment in some diseased animals.

Materials and Methods

Animals:

The animals that investigated in this study at Gharbia Governorate belonged to sheep flock consisted of 86 sheep and 22 goats of different ages and dairy herd consisting of 62 cattle and 34 buffaloes, Some of which were suffering from skin lesions in the form of matted hair or wool, formatrom of scabs and crusts, erythema and exudative dermatitis. It was suspected to be dermatophilosis. The diseased animals were subjected to clinical examination according to Kelly (1984).

Bactreiology:

Swabbing of the under crust lesions was made and used for both direct microscopy as well as culture on blood agar media aerobically for             48- 72 hs. according to Quin et al. (1994).

Treatment:

Out of the diseased sheep, 18 were allocated into 3 groups each of six animals. The first group were treated parentrally with long acting oxytetracycline the widely used antibiotic in treatment of dermatophilosis (Ilemobad et al., 1979; Abedl – Halim et al., 2000  and Ammar, 2003) with a dose rate of 20 mglkg. intramuscularly. Animals of the 2 nd group were treated topically with garlic oil which was used for the first time in this purpose depending on its high invitro efficiency (Elisah 2004). It was applied daily for 8 successive days. Those of the 3^rd group were subjected to both parentral treatment with long acting oxytetracycline and topical application of garlic oil. The treated animals were kept under clinical observation weekly and bacteriological examination every 2 weeks for 6 weeks.

Results

The clinical examination revealed that the clinical picture varied in its severity and distribution of the lesions owing to the species affected. The lesions in sheep appeared on the head region as irregular area of alopecia covered with crusts specially on the edges of ears and the face. It may involve the skin allover the body in the form of moisten lesions under which the wool is broken or matted and easily detached leaving row surface which is erythematous in nature. The legs also were effected specially the carpal region. Goats showed similar lesions while in cows, the lesions were restricted on the skin of chest and abdomen. In buffaloes the lesions were confined on the distal portion of the legs (Fig 1-12).

Regarding the treatment trials, all treated animals showed complete clinical and bacteriological cure at the end of the 4^th week. In the 1^st group the recovery was started at the end of 2^nd week with recovery rate of 50% which elevated to be 83. 3 % at the end of 3^rd week and 100% at the end of the 4^th week. recurrence of the disease had been recorded at the end of the 5^th week. In the other 2 groups, the recovery commenced at the end of 1^st week with a rate of 16.7 % reaching 100 % at the end of 3^rd week. Without any evidence of recurrence Table (1).

The application of garlic oil on the lesion of the diseased sheep softened the crusty lesion. The crusts started falling off from the lesions after the 4^th day after treatment. The falling off was rapid and progressive. It fall off completely within 8-10 days. The growth of the wool was observed at 12^th day post application and the treated animals appeared normal within 4-5 weeks.

Regarding the treatment trials, all treated animals showed complete clinical and bacteriological cure at the end of the 4^th week. In the 1^st group the recovery was started at the end of 2^nd week with recovery rate of 50% which elevated to be 83. 3 % at the end of 3^rd week and 100% at the end of the 4^th week. recurrence of the disease had been recorded at the end of the 5^th week. In the other 2 groups, the recovery commenced at the end of 1^st week with a rate of 16.7 % reaching 100 % at the end of 3^rd week. Without any evidence of recurrence Table (1).

The application of garlic oil on the lesion of the diseased sheep softened the crusty lesion. The crusts started falling off from the lesions after the 4^th day after treatment. The falling off was rapid and progressive. It fall off completely within 8-10 days. The growth of the wool was observed at 12^th day post application and the treated animals appeared normal within 4-5 weeks.

Fig. 1: A lamb suffering from dermatophilosis showing skin lesions in the form of area of alopecia

.

Fig. 2: Close up on the lesion revealing wrinkled skin, broken and matted wool .

Fig. 3: The lesion of dermatophilosis in the face and ears of ewe.

Fig. 4: The lesions of dermatophilosis not confined on the head region but involve the legs of a lamb .

Fig. 5: A goat showing lesions of dermatophilosis in the skin of chest and abdomen .

Fig. 6: The lesion of dermatophilosis in buffaloes is confined on the distal of portion of the legs.

Fig. 7: Crusty lesions of dermatophilosis on the back

region of a cow.

Fig. 8: Extensive lesions of dermatophilosis on the back of a cow.

Fig. 9: Exudative severe dermatitis on the skin of the chest and abdomen caused by D. congolensis.

Fig. 10: Close up on the lesion revealing the alopecia, crusts and matted hair.

Fig. 11: The lesions of dermatophilosis appeared on the back and tail region.

Fig. 12: The lesion begin to improve after treatment.