*Result*: Molecular Epidemiology, Mating Types, Clinical, and Physiological traits of Microsporum canis in Humans and Companion Animals (Cats and Dogs) in the Guiyang Region, Southwest China.
Title:
Molecular Epidemiology, Mating Types, Clinical, and Physiological traits of Microsporum canis in Humans and Companion Animals (Cats and Dogs) in the Guiyang Region, Southwest China.
Authors:
Hu H; Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.; Department of Immunology, Basic Medical School, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.; Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China., Jiao B; Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.; Department of Immunology, Basic Medical School, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.; Department of Dermatology, Anshun People's Hospital, Anshun, China., Deng Y; Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China., Luo W; Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.; Department of Immunology, Basic Medical School, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.; Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China., Zhou J; Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.; Department of Immunology, Basic Medical School, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China., Lei W; Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.; Department of Immunology, Basic Medical School, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China., Shang Z; Department of Immunology, Basic Medical School, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China., Jiang Y; Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China., Wang Z; School of Clinical Laboratory Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.; Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China., Zeng Z; Guizhou Key Laboratory of Microbio and Infectious Disease Prevention & Control, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China., Jiang Y; Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China. jiangyanping119@163.com.; Guizhou Key Laboratory of Microbio and Infectious Disease Prevention & Control, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China. jiangyanping119@163.com.; Centre of Expertise in Mycology of Radboud University Medical Center/Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. jiangyanping119@163.com.; Department of Dermatology, Guizhou Medical University & Hospital, Beijing Road 4, Yunyan District, Guiyang, China. jiangyanping119@163.com.
Source:
Mycopathologia [Mycopathologia] 2026 Jan 24; Vol. 191 (1), pp. 24. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jan 24.
Publication Type:
Journal Article
Language:
English
Journal Info:
Publisher: Kluwer Academic Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 7505689 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1573-0832 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 0301486X NLM ISO Abbreviation: Mycopathologia Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s):
Publication: Dordrecht : Kluwer Academic
Original Publication: [The Hague, W. Junk]
Original Publication: [The Hague, W. Junk]
MeSH Terms:
Microsporum*/genetics , Microsporum*/physiology , Microsporum*/isolation & purification , Microsporum*/classification , Dog Diseases*/microbiology , Dog Diseases*/epidemiology , Cat Diseases*/microbiology , Cat Diseases*/epidemiology , Dermatomycoses*/veterinary , Dermatomycoses*/epidemiology , Dermatomycoses*/microbiology , Tinea*/veterinary , Tinea*/epidemiology , Tinea*/microbiology , Genes, Mating Type, Fungal*, China/epidemiology ; Pets/microbiology ; Zoonoses/microbiology ; Zoonoses/epidemiology ; Animals ; Dogs ; Cats ; Humans ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Genotype ; Prospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Phenotype
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Kundu R, Bansal Y, Singla N. The zoonotic potential of fungal pathogens: another dimension of the one health approach. Diagnostics. 2024. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14182050 . (PMID: 10.3390/diagnostics141820503933572911431391)
Baumbach CM, Müller S, Reuschel M, Uhrlaß S, Nenoff P, Baums CG, et al. Identification of zoophilic dermatophytes using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2021. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2021.631681 . (PMID: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.631681339966208113951)
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Mazzotta E, Lucchese L, Corrò M, Ceglie L, Danesi P, Capello K, et al. Zoonoses in dog and cat shelters in North-East Italy: update on emerging, neglected and known zoonotic agents. Front Vet Sci. 2024. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1490649 . (PMID: 10.3389/fvets.2024.14906493966489511631924)
Yamada S, Anzawa K, Mochizuki T. Molecular epidemiology of Microsporum canis isolated from Japanese cats and dogs, and from pet owners by multilocus microsatellite typing fragment analysis. Jpn J Infect Dis. 2022. https://doi.org/10.7883/yoken.JJID.2020.809 . (PMID: 10.7883/yoken.JJID.2020.80936575023)
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Hubka V, Vetrovsky T, Dobiášová S, Skořepová M, Lyskova P, Mencl K, et al. Molecular epidemiology of dermatophytoses in the Czech republic—two-year-study results. Ceskoslovenská dermatologie; 2014.
Lysková P, Dobiáš R, Čmoková A, Kolařík M, Hamal P, Šmatláková K, et al. An outbreak of Trichophyton quinckeanum zoonotic infections in the Czech Republic transmitted from cats and dogs. J Fungi. 2021. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7090684 . (PMID: 10.3390/jof7090684)
Uhrlaß S, Mayser P, Koch D, Mütze H, Krüger C, Schulze I, et al. Zoophilic dermatophytes during coronavirus pandemic in Germany. Dermatologie (Heidelb). 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00105-023-05150-5 . (PMID: 10.1007/s00105-023-05150-53809568610155132)
Čmoková A, Kolařík M, Guillot J, Risco-Castillo V, Cabañes FJ, Nenoff P, et al. Host-driven subspeciation in the hedgehog fungus, Trichophyton erinacei, an emerging cause of human dermatophytosis. Persoonia. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2023.48.06 . (PMID: 10.3767/persoonia.2023.48.063823468710792284)
Sharma R, de Hoog S, Presber W, Gräser Y. A virulent genotype of Microsporum canis is responsible for the majority of human infections. J Med Microbiol. 2007. https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.47136-0 . (PMID: 10.1099/jmm.0.47136-017893177)
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Grant Information:
ZK [2022] General 426 Science and Technology Planning Project; gyfybsky-2021-56 Doctoral Cultivating Fund of Guizhou Medical University
Contributed Indexing:
Keywords: Microsporum canis; Animals; Humans; Sexual Reproduction; Zoonoses
SCR Organism:
Microsporum canis
Entry Date(s):
Date Created: 20260124 Date Completed: 20260124 Latest Revision: 20260214
Update Code:
20260214
DOI:
10.1007/s11046-025-01048-z
PMID:
41579154
Database:
MEDLINE
*Further Information*
*To date, the transmission patterns and epidemiological characteristics of the zoonotic dermatophyte Microsporum canis in southwestern Guizhou, China, remain poorly understood. This study employed a multiphase approach integrating retrospective analysis of seven years of dermatophytosis data with a prospective cross-sectional survey of skin infections in cats and dogs conducted from February 2024 to August 2024. A total of 51 M. canis isolates-34 derived from humans and 17 from cats and dogs-were systematically analyzed to assess genotypic, phenotypic, physiological, and MAT gene distribution profiles. Sequencing of the ITS, tubb, and rpb2 loci revealed high genetic homogeneity across all isolates. With the exception of the human-derived strain JYP 21030b, in which amplification at the MAT locus failed, all isolates were identified as MAT1-1 genotype. Clinically, infections in both humans and animals were predominantly localized to the scalp. Physiological assessments revealed that animal-origin strains exhibited enhanced thermotolerance and more robust urease production compared to human-origin strains. Notably, evidence of distant hybridization between M. canis (JYP 21030b) and T. mentagrophytes var. interdigitale (JYP 21030a) was observed, accompanied by dynamic changes and diversity in mating type genes, which may correlate with distinct clinical and physiological traits. In conclusion, M. canis remains the predominant zoonotic dermatophyte responsible for dermatophytosis in humans and companion animals in this region. Despite limited molecular divergence, differences in enzymatic activity and thermal growth profiles suggest functionally driven phenotypic adaptability, with animal-origin strains demonstrating heightened environmental resilience and potential for host switching. Furthermore, the occurrence of interspecies hybridization offers a novel explanation for the paradox of low genetic variation coupled with observable phenotypic heterogeneity, thereby providing new insights into the transmission dynamics, ecological adaptation, and public health implications of M. canis.
(© 2026. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)*
*Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests.*