Treatment of Malassezia pachydermatis-associated seborrhoeic dermatitis in Devon Rex cats with itraconazole--a pilot study

Treatment of Malassezia pachydermatis-associated seborrhoeic dermatitis with oral itraconazole was investigated in six Devon Rex cats (DRC). The cutaneous populations of Malassezia were determined using contact plates and a swab-wash method before and after 21 days of pulse treatment with itraconazole (5 mg kg-1 once daily, 7 days on, 7 days off, 7 days on). Before treatment, all cats had greasy seborrhoeic dermatitis involving the axillae, groin, claw folds and palmar and plantar interdigital skin, and two had similar lesions on the ventral neck. After treatment, there was a significant (P<0.05) reduction in overall clinical scores and in scores at all individual sites assessed, except for the interdigital skin (P=0.068). Population sizes of M. pachydermatis in the left and right axillae, left and right groin and palmar interdigital skin were significantly (P<0.05) reduced, whereas the reduction in claw fold counts did not reach significance (P=0.068). The dramatic reduction in yeast counts and an associated marked clinical improvement of the seborrhoeic dermatitis provide important pilot data on the potential value of oral itraconazole in the management of seborrhoeic dermatitis associated with M. pachydermatis in DRC.