Ringworm is a skin infection caused by fungi that produces alopecic lesions, with scaling and redness, which usually begin on the head and can later spread to other body regions. Its diagnosis and treatment is simple, but it has the great inconvenience of being a zoonotic disease, so it will require careful management to avoid transmission of the infection to people.
If you want to know more information about ringworm in hamsters, its symptoms, contagion and treatment, don't miss the next article in our site where we will also talk about its causes and diagnosis.
What is ringworm?
What is hamster ringworm? Ringworm, also called dermatophytosis, is a fungal skin infection In the specific case of hamsters and other rodents, ringworm is caused by fungi Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum spp.
This is a zoonotic disease, that is, it can be transmitted from animals to people and vice versa. For this reason, proper handling of rodents with ringworm is essential to prevent the infection from being transmitted to their keepers. In the following sections we will talk about the biosecurity measures that must be taken in this regard to avoid the risk of zoonoses.
If you are interested, you can also consult the following articles on Ringworm in dogs, its symptoms, causes and treatment and Ringworm in rabbits, its contagion and treatment.
Symptoms of ringworm in hamsters
Ringworm is a dermatological disease, so all the associated signs are observed at the skin level. Specifically, the symptoms of ringworm in hamsters are:
- Patches of alopecia (hair loss): lesions are usually rounded
- Scaling and scabbing.
- Erythema: redness of the skin.
- Broken Hair.
- Unlike other dermatological diseases, ringworm produces minimal or no itching.
It should be noted that, although the lesions can appear anywhere on the body, initially they are more common on the face and head. If treatment is not instituted, they can spread and appear in other body regions.
Now that we've read how to tell if my hamster has ringworm, let's see what causes it.
Causes of ringworm in hamsters
As we have already mentioned, the causative agents of ringworm in hamsters are fungi of the genera Trichophyton and Microsporum.
This fungal infection usually occurs as a result of unsuitable environmental conditions that favor the growth of these fungi, and thepresence of stress factors or other situations that produce immunodepression in these rodents.
The main factors that favor the appearance of ringworm are:
- Environment with excessive moisture.
- Poorly ventilated plastic cages.
- Condensation or moisture on the nest material.
- Stress factors: poor management, sudden change of habitat, etc.
- Overcrowding.
- Very young animals.
Ringworm infection in hamsters
Ringworm is a contagious disease that is transmitted through the spores of fungi, microscopic forms that are usually found in groups around lesions and infected hairs.
Hamsters can be infected:
- By direct contact with other infected rodents.
- By share contaminated environment or objects: since spores are very resistant forms that can persist in the environment for up to 2 years.
Also, as we have already mentioned, ringworm is a zoonotic disease that can be very easily transmitted to humans, being children the most susceptible to infection. Like animals, people can become infected through direct contact with infected rodents, as well as through contact with the contaminated environment.
The infection can also be spread to other household pets (dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits, etc.), so that it will be essential to apply adequate biosecurity measures to avoid contagion of any member of the family.
Diagnosis of ringworm in hamsters
Diagnosis of ringworm in hamsters may include the following methods:
- Examination of dermatological lesions: as we have already mentioned, initially rounded alopecic lesions usually appear on the face area, with scaling, scabs and erythema, which as the process progresses can spread to other body regions.
- Cytology: a sample should be taken from the margins of the lesion(s) and a special stain should be made with periodic acid of Schiff (PAS) or plant stain, to observe the hyphae and/or spores of the fungus under a microscope.
- Culture and identification of fungi: a hair sample should be taken (preferably from broken hairs or close to the lesion) and planted in a selective culture medium for fungi. Although it is a more sensitive technique than cytology, it has the drawback of its duration, since the samples must be cultured for a minimum of 10 days, so the diagnosis can take several weeks.
- PCR: it has a similar sensitivity to culture, but has the advantage of providing diagnosis in a much shorter time, which allows early initiation of specific treatment.
As a curiosity, it should be noted that the use of the ultraviolet Wood's lamp generally does not is diagnostic in hamsters In other animal species, this is an effective method for diagnosing ringworm because, when exposed to ultraviolet light, the fungi fluoresce, which allows diagnosis of ringworm. ringworm easily and quickly. However, most fungi that cause dermatophytosis in rodents do not fluoresce.
Treatment of ringworm in hamsters
The treatment of ringworm in hamsters is based on the following pillars:
- Topical antiseptics: lesions should be treated with topical antiseptics such as povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine (always diluted)
- Topical antifungals: such as Enilconazole. A dilution of 20 ml of enilconazole per liter of water should be made, and applied as a bath every 3 days.
- Oral antifungals: such as Griseofulvin, Itraconazole or Terbinafine.
- Cage Sterilization: Not all disinfectants are effective against fungal spores. To ensure proper sterilization, use bleach at a dilution of 1/10 or Virkon at 1%The cage must be disinfected at least twice a week. All cage material that cannot be disinfected should be removed as it can be a source of reinfection.
When administering the treatment to the animal or proceeding to disinfect the cage, it is important to comply with some strict biosecurity measures to avoid zoonosisCaregivers should wear gloves and wear clothing that covers any part of their body that may be exposed to contaminated items or objects. In addition, it is important to isolate the infected animal from other rodents or pets that live in the same household, since these can also be infected by contact with the animal or with the polluted environment.
Periodic cultures should be performed and treatment maintained until negative cultures are obtained. Generally, the negative result usually occurs a long time after the healing of the lesions. For this reason, even if the animal is clinically recovered, it is important to maintain the treatment, since otherwise the ringworm may recur after a while.
