RINGWORM IN DOMESTIC CATS IN SAO-PAULO, BRAZIL, BETWEEN 1981-1990

Ringworm dermatitis is the second most frequent dermatopathy (29.8%) o f all the feline cases attended at the Dermatological Service of the V eterinary Teaching Hospital at the University of Sao Paulo (USP). Desp ite the zoonotic potential and the importance of the ringworm symptoma tic forms at the veterinary dermatological practice, there are few Bra zilian scientific papers focusing on its importance. Between 1981-1990 , 348 domestic cats with ringworm-like lesions were examined at the Ve terinary Teaching Hospital of USP. After the avulsion of the perilesio nal hair, the specimens were inoculated in Sabouraud dextrose agar wit h 100 mug/ml chloramphenicol and mycobiotic agar, incubated at 25-degr ees-C and 37-degrees-C, and the identification of molds and yeast was made. Pathogenic dermatophytes were isolated from 130 samples (37.3%). From these positive cultures, 129 (99.2%) and 1 (0.78%), respectively , were due to M. canis and M. gypseum. About 68% of the cats were less than 1 year old and 54.6% were males. The great majority of the isola tion (70%) was obtained from crossbred animals.