The role of Malassezia Pachydermatis in a patient with Atopic Dermatitis

Case Reporting

Abstract

This case report aims to elaborate on the role of Malassezia pachydermatis in atopic patients. Commonly, Malassezia pachydermatis is part of the skin microbioma of dogs and other mammals and birds. However, changes in the microenvironment of the skin and associated with predisposing factors such yeast overgrowth leads to change from saprophytic medium to parasitism, making it an opportunistic pathogen perpetuating external otitis and pruritic dermatoses in dogs. A dog of the breed Lhasa Apso, with twelve years of age was seen in Veterinary School Hospital of Jaguariúna with a history of alopecia, erythematous and highly pruritic lesions in legs and abdominal and inguinal regions, characterized by erythema, hyperpigmentation, lignification, scabs, seborrhea and alopecia. A superficial shave was carried out of the interdigital skin lesions and swab of the between the digits for cytological examination, in which we noticed an increased presence of the genus Malassezia pachydermatis yeast. Because of the diverse of skin diseases caused by Malassezia spp, including atopic dermatitis in dogs, it’s important to have an early diagnosis where cytological examination associated with a correct treatment has satisfactory and beneficial results in the control of pruritic lesions in atopic dogs.