First report of Dermatophilus congolensis infections in local Omani cattle

Dermatophilosis is an infectious skin disease in animals and man caused by Dermatophilus congolensis. Objective: to report the isolation of Dermatophilus congolensis from paint-brush matted hairs to wart-like skin lesions in 12.1% of quarantined local cattle from the Sultanate of Oman. Methodology: skin scrapings, blood samples and skin biopsies were aseptically collected from the affected cattle for bacteriological, hematological and histopathological examinations, respectively. Results: bacterial cultural and staining characteristics of skin scrapings were confined with D. congolensis. Neutrophilia were reported in 86.75% of the examined animals. Histologically, there was severe multifocal exudative dermatitis with hyperkeratosis. Affected animals were treated successfully with three doses of long-acting oxytetracycline (20 mg/kg; IM injection) with topical application of antibiotic spray. Conclusion: this is the first report of dermatophilosis in local Omani cattle, and field veterinarians should be kept up to date with this recent detected disease.