A rabbit model of ear otitis established using the Malassezia pachydermatis strain C23 from dogs

Research (Published online: 01-11-2023)

2. A rabbit model of ear otitis established using the Malassezia pachydermatis strain C23 from dogs

Nadezhda Sachivkina, Arfenya Karamyan, Olesya Petrukhina, Olga Kuznetsova, Ekaterina Neborak, and Alfia Ibragimova

Veterinary World, 16(11): 2192-2199

Nadezhda Sachivkina: Department of Microbiology V.S. Kiktenko, Institute of Medicine, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia; Department of Veterinary Medicine, Agrarian Technological Institute, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia.

Arfenya Karamyan: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Agrarian Technological Institute, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia.

Olesya Petrukhina: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Agrarian Technological Institute, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia.

Olga Kuznetsova: Department of Biochemistry T.T. Berezov, Institute of Medicine, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia.

Ekaterina Neborak: Department of Biochemistry T.T. Berezov, Institute of Medicine, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia.

Alfia Ibragimova: Department of Foreign Languages, Institute of Medicine, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia; Department of General Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Technologies, Institute of Medicine, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia.

Background and Aim: Fungal infections are a growing problem for both humans and animals due to the emergence of pathogenic strains resistant to modern antifungal treatments. To evaluate the efficacy of new antifungal drugs, it is essential to develop animal models that demonstrate typical responses to both the infection (pathogenesis and clinical course) and to the treatment, including adverse effects. In this study, we established a rabbit otitis model by infection of an aggressive multidrug-resistant strain from dogs, Malassezia pachydermatis C23, with no need for concomitant immunosuppression.

Materials and Methods: Twenty healthy adult male gray giant rabbits (1 year old, 5.5 kg) were inoculated once with M. pachydermatis C23 at 108 colony-forming units/mL. We observed the clinical signs of the disease and collected ear smears and blood samples every 5 days.

Results: The infection progressed rapidly and exhibited characteristic clinical signs without spontaneous recovery for at least 1 month. In fact, substantial deterioration was observed as evidenced by blood parameters.

Conclusion: This rabbit otitis model established using an aggressive drug-resistant fungus strain without immunosuppression could prove valuable for testing novel antifungal agents.