Eastern Cottontail ( Sylvilagus Floridanus) as Carrier of Dermatophyte Fungi

摘要: Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus, fam. Leporidae), introduced into Piedmont (Italy) in the 1960s, was studied as carrier of dermatophyte fungi. Of 216 hair samples collected from animals culled between September 1999 and July 2000 Province Alessandria (Piedmont, Italy) during a pest control project, 57 (26.4%) yielded colonies. As two different species dermatophytes grew samples, total 59 fungal isolates (26.5%) were obtained. Six both geophilic (M. gypseum, M. cookei, Trichophyton ajelloi, T. terrestre) zoophilic canis, mentagrophytes) identified. No sex-related differences found but season-related observed. The highest prevalence dermatophyte-positive recorded May–September, due to fungi whose decreased colder increased warmer months ( p < 0.001). presence dermatophytes, mentagrophytes, commonly associated with rodents, small mammals lagomorphs usually correlated domestic environment, did not change whole year round. has been showed be transmissible man mentagrophytes gypseum), it may represent source infection for gamekeepers, hunters veterinarians.