Fungi isolated from the skin lesions of Ghezel and Makui sheep with suspected ringworm in Urmia, Iran

Non-dermatophytic fungi are frequently isolated on the cultures used in surveys of animals suspected of having ringworm. The present study was conducted to identify of saprophytic fungi and dermatophyte isolated from sheep with suspected ringworm in Urmia, Iran. A total of 1323 sheep from two breeds of Ghezel (n = 727) and Makui (n = 596) were examined for skin lesions. Only 4(0.035 %) lesions with hair loss and scaling were found on ears of Ghezel sheep. Samples were examined microscopically by KOH and cultured ontoSabouraud’s dextrose agar and Sabouraud’s dextrose with chloramphenicol and cycloheximide, incubated at 25 and 37 ° C and examined for 4weeks. All (100%) of the specimens yielded positive culture. Fungal isolates were Alternariaspp. (3 cases, 75 %) and Mucor spp. (2 cases, 50%). No dermatophyte fungi were cultured from suspected ringworm lesions. Saprophytic fungi isolated in the present study may not be considered as cause of skin lesions in Ghezel sheep.