Antifungal effects of the biological agent Pythium oligandrum observed in vitro.

Objectives Dermatophytosis, commonly known as ringworm, is a superficial fungal skin disease and zoonosis. Pythium oligandrum is a micromycete with mycoparasitic properties that is used in agriculture to control fungal infections on plants. Formulations containing P oligandrum were also developed for the treatment of dermatophytoses, but only a small number of case studies have been published. In order to document the process in simplified conditions in vitro, we investigated the effectiveness of P oligandrum against three pathogenic dermatophytes common in domestic animals. Methods Cultures of the pathogens grown on nutrient media and experimentally infected cat hair were treated with P oligandrum preparations in therapeutic concentration and the changes were documented by microscopic videos and scanning electron microscopy. Results There was strong mycoparasitic activity of P oligandrum against Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Conclusions and relevance P oligandrum was demonstrated to be effective against three common causes of dermatophytosis in vitro.