Dermatophytosis caused by Trichophyton Mentagrophytes in an 8-month-old Friesian-Bunaji cross-breed Calf in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Dermatophytosis is a contagious, zoonotic skin disease affecting a variety of domestic and wild animals including man. It is caused by a group of morphologically and physiologically related fungi in the Genera Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton-Trichophyton mentagrophytes was responsible for dermatophytosis on an 8-month-old Friesian-Bunaji cross bred calf in Jos, Nigeria. The diagnosis was based on clinical signs, direct microscopy and isolation of aetiologic agent on Sabouraud’s dextrose agar supplemented with chloramphenicol and cycloheximide. The lesions involving the face, muzzle and jaw were circular, alopecic, thickly crusted, and grayish-white raised above the skin. Direct microscopic examination of skin scrapings and hair pullouts in 10%KOH revealed chains of arthroconidia on the surface of infected hairs. Colonies were flat, white, and granular to fluffy with yellow reverse side. The isolate was urease test positive when inoculated on to Christensen’s urea agar. Microscopically, many spherical microconidia arranged in dense grape-like clusters with few multiseptate, thin and smooth walled macroconidia, typical of Trichophyton mentagrophytes were observed. Bovine dermatophytosis is economically important both in the livestock and leather industries as well as in public health. The need for prompt diagnosis and treatment of infected animals as preventive and control measures was emphasized.