Malassezia pachydermatisCarriage in Dog Owners

• DOI: 10.3201/eid1101.040882
• Publication Date: 2012-03-01T23:14:07Z
• Authors: Daniel O. Morris; Kathleen O’Shea; Frances S. Shofer; Shelley Rankin
• Keywords: Carriage; Malassezia; Fungemia

Abstract Yeasts of the genus Malassezia serve as both commensal microorganisms and pathogens on skin humans domestic animals. Although rare, cases life-threatening fungemia in people have been attributed to pachydermatis, for which dogs are a natural host. Zoonotic transfer has documented from immunocompromised patients by healthcare workers who own dogs. We investigated role pet risk factors mechanical carriage M. pachydermatis human hands. Dogs their owners were sampled pairs, fungal culture nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). was not reliable means detect yeast hands, PCR identified most (≈93%) participants. Human ubiquitous opportunistic such underscores importance good hand hygiene professionals.