Comparison of two sampling techniques for the detection of Malassezia pachydermatis on the skin of dogs with chronic dermatitis

Adhesive tape strip and dry swab sampling techniques were compared for the detection of Malassezia pachydermatis on the skin of dogs with chronic dermatitis. One hundred and four dogs were sampled by each of the techniques. Two methods, a culture method and a stain method, were used to assess the sampling techniques. By the adhesive tape strip sampling technique, M. pachydermatis was detected on 83 (80%) dogs using the culture method and on 45 (43%) dogs using the stain method. By the dry swab sampling technique, M. pachydermatis was detected on 55 (53%) dogs using the culture method and on 33 (32%) dogs using the stain method. The study showed that the adhesive tape strip sampling technique, using the culture method, detected Malassezia on the skin of significantly more dogs (P<0.001) than the same technique using the stain method and also significantly more than the dry swab sampling technique, using either the culture or stain methods. It was also shown that an adhesive tape sample could be used to transfer cells to a slide for staining and microscopy prior to being used for culturing Malassezia.