Fenotypowy profil patogennosci szczepow Malassezia pachydermatis

Considering the fact that certain phenotypic properties found in M. pachydermatis strains can indirectly indicate their pathogenicity, we have evaluated the morphological traits of the fungus (cell size and shape as well as colony type), expression of extracellular hydrolases (API-ZYM) and the activity of catalase, urease, casein, beta-glucosidase, phospholipase and the Tween hydrolases: 20, 40, 60 and 80. Considering the source of the analyzed strains’ origin as a differentiation criterium (animals clinically healthy and with otitis externa symptoms), it was found that the isolates obtained from the pathological material were generally (80%) characterized with a smooth growth type of light cream, large or medium-sized colonies, as well as high a activity of lipolytic enzymes, such as phospholipase and hydrolase Tween 80 and valine arylamidase, cystine arylamidase and basic phosphatase. Determining a profile of M. pachydermatis phenotypic characteristics may substantially facilitate defining the pathogenicity of the strains isolated directly from the clinical material.