A lufenuron pre-treatment may enhance the effects of enilconazole or griseofulvin in feline dermatophytosis?

Author(s): Mancianti F, Dabizzi S, Nardoni S

Affiliation(s): Dipartimento di Patologia Animale, Profilassi ed Igiene degli Alimenti, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, I 56124 Pisa, Italy. manciant@vet.unipi.it

Publication date & source: 2009-02, J Feline Med Surg., 11(2):91-5. Epub 2008 Aug 5.

Publication type: Comparative Study

The effectiveness of enilconazole (4 weekly rinses with a 0.2% solution) or griseofulvin (50mg/kg twice daily for 40 days) following a pre-treatment with oral lufenuron (100mg/kg by-weekly for 8 weeks) was tested on 25 (11+14) Microsporum canis infected cats. Control animals were treated with lufenuron, griseofulvin and enilconazole alone. At day 150 pre-treated animals were culturally negative and clinically cured. While lufenuron alone was found to be ineffective against M canis infection, an immunomodulatory effect of the drug can be suggested, as reported in literature. Its use could be reserved to long-lasting infections, unsuccessfully treated with conventional drugs. Further studies are required to clearly establish the possible adjuvant effect of this molecule when used prior to enilconazole or griseofulvin.