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Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Infecting Mice with Malassezia spp. to Study the Fungus-Host Interaction
Published on: November 6, 2019
Mycologic disorders of the skin
1Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA. caouterbrdge@vmth.ucdavis.edu
Abstract:
Cutaneous tissue can become infected when fungal organisms contaminate or colonize the epidermal surface or hair follicles. The skin can be a portal of entry for fungal infection when the epithelial barrier is breached or it can be a site for disseminated, systemic fungal disease. The two most common cutaneous fungal infections in small animals are dermatophytosis and Malassezia dermatitis. Dermatophytosis is a superficial cutaneous infection with one or more of the fungal species in the keratinophilic genera Microsporum, Trichophyton, or Epidermophyton. Malassezia pachydermatis is a nonlipid dependent fungal species that is a normal commensal inhabitant of the skin and external ear canal in dogs and cats. Malassezia pachydermatis is the most common cause of Malassezia dermatitis. The diagnosis and treatment of these cutaneous fungal infections will be discussed.
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