Survey of Sensitization to Common Fungi in an Allergic Dog Population: The Need for Further Focus on Sensitization and Allergy to Fungi in Veterinary Medicine

Abstract

Most fungal species are commensals and non-pathogenic to plants, humans, or animals. However, several species of the Alternaria, Aspergillus, Trichophyton, and Microsporum genera are common causes of disease, even for immunocompetent individuals. Besides mucosal damage, fungi may contribute to a skin barrier impairment, favoring sensitization and allergy development. A total of 68 allergic dogs were selected from a veterinary dermatology and allergy outpatient consultation for conditions related to both Malassezia overgrowth and other fungal complications. The allergy diagnosis was made through anamnesis and current clinical criteria, with the involved allergenic species being identified by intradermal tests (IDTs) and allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) determination in serum. Dermatophagoides farinae, Dactylis glomerata, and Malassezia pachydermatis showed as the higher sensitization species from house dust mites, grass pollen, and fungi, respectively. Significant correlations at p < 0.05 were found between sensitization to Dactylis glomerata and Phleum pratense grass pollens, Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Acarus siro, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, and Lepidoglyphus destructor dust/storage mites, and between fungi like Aspergillus mix and Penicillium or Alternaria alternata. A significant correlation was also found between sensitization to the Aspergillus mix and D. farinae, D. pteronyssinus, or A. siro. Rather severe dermatitis was observed when a positive IDT to Malassezia pachydermatis was found, regardless of the detection of circulating sIgE, allowing us to consider the usefulness of both the IDT and the sIgE for a systematic diagnosis of allergy to fungi.