02111-A: Evaluating the Contribution of Fungal Infection to the Pathogenesis of Atopic Dermatitis: Putting Evidence under the Use of Antifungal Medication

Grant Status: Closed

Grant Amount: $12,960
Jan S Suchodolski, DVM, PhD; Texas A&M AgriLife Research
June 1, 2014 - May 31, 2015

Sponsor(s): Bichon Frise Club of America, Inc., Welsh Terrier Club of America, Inc., Westie Foundation of America, Inc.

Breed(s): -All Dogs
Research Program Area: Dermatology and Allergic Disease
Donate to Support this Research Program Area

Project Summary

This study utilized next-generation sequencing to describe the natural fungal microbiome (mycobiome) of canine skin and to identify changes in the mycobiome when allergic skin disease is present. Superficial skin swabs from ten dogs with healthy skin and eight dogs with allergic skin disease were collected from haired and non-haired sites, 10 sites for healthy dogs and 6 sites for allergic dogs. The DNA was extracted from skin swabs and the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region was sequenced using an Illumina Miseq instrument. The total number of ITS sequences for 144 samples was 5,604,145, with the median number of sequences per sample being 38,680. Sequences were analyzed using the QIIME platform. We identified the most prevalent fungal genera as Cladosporium and Alternaria. Other significant genera identified included Malassezia, Fusarium, Cryptococcus, Claviceps, Wallemia, Kodamaea, Podosphaera, and Blumeria.  In the healthy dogs, the greatest diversity (number of observed species) in fungal genera was found on the dorsal aspect of the nose, while the least diverse sites included the nostril and conjunctiva (p

Publication(s)

Meason-Smith, C., Diesel, A., Patterson, A. P., Older, C. E., Mansell, J. M., Suchodolski, J. S., & Rodrigues Hoffmann, A. (2015). What is living on your dog’s skin? Characterization of the canine cutaneous mycobiota and fungal dysbiosis in canine allergic dermatitis. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 91(12), fiv139. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiv139

Help Future Generations of Dogs

Participate in canine health research by providing samples or by enrolling in a clinical trial. Samples are needed from healthy dogs and dogs affected by specific diseases.

Learn How to Help

Get Canine Health News:
Please leave this field empty
American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation, Inc

8051 Arco Corporate Dr.
Suite 300
Raleigh, NC 27617
(888)-682-9696

Tax ID# 13-3813813

  

© 2021 AKC Canine Health Foundation | Privacy Policy | Site Map

Site by Blackbaud, Inc.