The role of animals in the epidemiology of the mycoses [The role of animals in the epidemiology of the mycoses].

Résumé

Possible role of animals in the recycling of fungi from foodstuffs and environment ― The possible role of animals in determining human pathology has become an emerging problem for which new data are accumulating both on pathogenic fungi and mycotoxins. The use of animals in monitoring mycoses ― Animals may reveal the presence of a pathogen in a given area. This phenomenon has been exploited to monitor the natural occurrence of various mycoses (e.g., coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, dermatomycoses) in different regions. The use of sentinel animals (i.e., the introduction of susceptible animals in certain environments to detect the presence of a pathogen) has not been duly exploited.The role that animals play in the epidemiology of human mycoses is discussed here. It can be divided as follows: Animals as vectors of mycos― This role is especially important as far as dermatophyt ozoonoses are concerned, these being of both the urban type, mainly due to Microsporum canis, and of the rural type, mainly due to Trichophyton verrucosum. These dermatophytozoonoses are emerging problems in present, modern pathology, especially in urban areas. These conditions may also be responsible for important occupational diseases for livestock, rabbit and laboratory attendants. Both domestic animals and wildlife are often asymptomatic carriers. Animal substrates as growths factor for pathogenic fungi ― The fact that bird or bat feces may contain factors that favour the growth of some fungous organisms in the environment has long been recognized. It is established fact that soil animalization (i.e., the addition of such debris as hair, skin scales, droppings and other organic matters) create an environmental medium suitable for the growth of geophilic fungi such as Histoplasma capsulatum, Cryptococcus neoformans and M. gypseum. Presence of M. Gypseum in soils from marmot (Marmota marmota) burrows.