1Department of Veterninary Clinical Medicine, Ethics and Jurisprudence, Hisar-125004, INDIA.
2Department of Veterinary Microbiology, CCS H.A.U., Hisar-125004, INDIA.
3National Research Centre on Equines, Hisar-125001, INDIA.
Five clinically normal non-atopic dogs, seven atopic dogs with cytologic evidence of Malassezia dermatitis and seven non-atopic dogs with Malassezia otitis were injected with a crude extract that was produced by disrupting the cell wall of M. pachydermatis following a standard procedure. The two antigens (I and II) so prepared were used at 1.5 μg/ml and 2.4 μg/ml concentrations. The results revealed that atopic dogs with cytologic evidence of Malassezia dermatitis and non-atopic dogs with Malassezia otitis reacted to intradermal injections of two antigens at both concentrations and wheal and flare responses were observed at which the normal non-atopic dogs ceased to react. It can thus be concluded that M. pachydermatis is capable of promoting type-1 hypersensitivity reactions in atopic dogs with Malassezia dermatitis and M. otitis. No delayed reactions were noticed in any of the dogs. To our knowledge, this is the first report from India.
