Cat Lichen In Humans: Signs Of Whether The Disease Is Transmitted From An Animal, Features Of The Treatment Of The Cat And The Owner, Prevention, Photo

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Can a person get shingles from a cat

Lichen is a skin infection. Often cats, both domestic and yard cats, are susceptible to it. Therefore, the question of whether feline lichen can be transmitted to humans remains relevant to this day, as well as the question of how to treat this disease.

Content

• 1 Characteristics of feline lichen

  • 1.1 Types of lichen in cats
  • 1.2 Video: Frequently asked questions about feline lichen and answers to them
• 2 The reasons for the development of the disease in animals

• 3 Symptoms of lichen in cats

  3.1 Video: external manifestations of lichen in cats

• 4 Is shingles from cats transmitted to humans
• 5 Signs of lichen in humans
• 6 Danger of shingles to humans
• 7 Diagnostics

• 8 Rules for the treatment of feline lichen in humans

  • 8.1 Traditional medicine

  • 8.2 Traditional methods

    8.2.1 Video: how to cure lichen at home

  • 8.3 Alternative methods

• 9 Preventive measures

  • 9.1 For the host
  • 9.2 For pet
  • 9.3 Other

Characteristics of feline lichen

Feline lichen is so named due to the fact that the main source of the disease is the cat. In this case, a person can be affected by the skin, hair, and nail plates. The causative agent is zoophilic fungi.

Types of lichen in cats

There are various types of lichen, which differ not only in the type of pathogen, but also in external manifestations. Not all of them can be infected by a person, but for cats such lichens are dangerous as:

1. Shearing. Most often children are exposed to it. Has a long incubation period. It is divided into two types: microsporia and trichophytosis (the symptoms are the same, but the pathogens belong to different groups of the fungus). Affects the face, neck, shoulders, scalp. It is characterized by the appearance of round pink spots or rings. In the affected part, the hair breaks off, which makes it seem like it has been cut. This type of lichen is considered the most dangerous, since the fungus that provokes it quickly spreads throughout the body and is able to be transferred to household items, where it retains its pathogenic activity for a long time.

   

   Ringworm is characterized by bald patches on the body.

2. Pink. It is characterized by the appearance of pink, less often light brown, spots. No special treatment is required. Pityriasis rosea passes as quickly as it appears. But at the same time, some rules must be observed, for example, the animal must not be bathed during this period, released into the street, and used any creams. Pink lichen is a viral infection. This type of disease is contagious to other animals, it is not transmitted to humans.

   

   The biggest spot with pink lichen is whichever comes first.

3. Colored, or pityriasis. Spots appear all over the body, except for the limbs and head, first spots of a greenish tint appear, then they turn brown. It is difficult to notice spots in a cat with thick hair, and it is also easy to confuse them with regular age spots. The treatment for such lichen is simple - daily bathing using shampoos based on myconalose or enilconazole.

   

   Colorectal lichen resembles birthmarks

4. Red flat. The disease affects the claws and skin, less often the mucous membranes; it is possible to distinguish from another disease by the presence of purple nodules, when they appear in the mouth - white ones. The affected areas are strongly judged, because of which the animal can scratch the skin, damage it, which leads to even more irritation. After the bubbles burst, dark spots form in their place, which remain on the skin forever. This type of disease is not contagious, therefore both animals and humans are outside the risk zone.

   

   With lichen planus, papules are formed that are filled with fluid

Ringworm, bran-like lichen can be transmitted from cat to person, since the causative agent in this case is a fungus. In most cases, the disease affects people with weakened immunity, children, as well as those with skin lesions.

Video: Frequently asked questions about feline lichen and answers to them

The causes of the development of the disease in animals

The main reason for the appearance of lichen in cats is contact with a sick animal. However, the contact does not have to be direct. Spores of fungi can live for a long time on a comb, sleeping place, toys of a sick cat. Therefore, a cat that does not walk and does not "communicate" with unvaccinated yard cats through any objects that were next to a sick animal is also at risk of becoming infected (this is why it is not recommended to stroke yard cats, because disputes can fall not only on the hands, but also on clothes, and then on a domestic cat).

Animals are most susceptible to the development of the disease:

• under the age of 1 year;
• with poor nutrition;
• with a weakened immune system due to a previous illness;
• infected with parasites.

If the cat is kept in good conditions, receives adequate nutrition and is vaccinated on time, then its immune system is able to cope with fungal spores and prevent infection.

Symptoms of lichen in cats

You can suspect lichen in a cat by the presence of bald spots on the skin, which can be with pustules, vesicles, scales in the center. There are other signs of the disease:

• itching;
• hair loss, increased fat content;
• the appearance of tangles (hairballs);
• uneven, misshapen claws if lichen appears in this part.

You can suspect lichen in a cat by naked spots on the body.

Video: external manifestations of lichen in cats

Is versicolor from cats transmitted to humans

Lichen is a very contagious disease, therefore, a person can catch it from a sick animal. The most dangerous are yard animals without vaccinations. Microspores can be found on a cat's fur in large quantities, which, upon contact, get on a person's hands and clothes. The risk increases if the skin has cuts, abrasions.

Signs of deprivation in humans

The first signs appear 5–7 days after infection. In this case, the symptoms may differ depending on the place of manifestation. There are three typical locations for feline lichen:

• smooth skin;
• scalp;
• nail plates.

On each of these parts, dermatophytosis can manifest itself in different ways. If the fungi began to actively multiply on the smooth surface of the skin, then the disease is characterized by:

• the presence of red or pink round spots with a flaky middle and edges protruding above the skin surface;
• overgrowth of spots, combining them into plaques;
• localization on the neck, forearm, face (spots may appear on other parts of the body);
• itching of low intensity.

Feline lichen in humans appears as round pink spots or rings.

When the scalp is affected, the symptoms are as follows:

• round spots with clear boundaries with a diameter of 0.5 to 7 cm;
• small flour-like scales on the surface of the lesions;
• swelling of the skin;

• broken hair at a height of 0.5 cm, which makes the affected area look like a cut;

  

  With a lesion depriving the scalp, hair breakage is observed

• the affected hair is easily pulled out with tweezers and does not regain its shape after ironing;
• localization in the parietal and temporal region of the head.

If the nail plates are affected, then they turn yellow and become brittle.

Nails affected by shingles turn yellow and become brittle

There are also general symptoms that appear regardless of location. It:

• increased body temperature;
• general weakness;
• enlarged lymph nodes.

The danger of depriving humans

For a healthy person with a strong immune system, lichen is not dangerous. Even if an infection has occurred, the treatment will not be long and without complications. If the immune system is severely weakened, then unpleasant consequences may appear. Due to scratching of the affected areas, there may be damage to the skin, through which staphylococcus and other pathogenic microorganisms can easily enter the body.

Diagnostics

Treatment of feline lichen can only be started after an appropriate diagnosis has been made. For this purpose, a Wood lamp is used (emits long-wave ultraviolet radiation). When the scalp and other parts of the body are translucent, the affected hair glows with a green light, which resembles the glow of phosphorus.

When the lamp shines through, the affected areas glow green

This diagnostic method allows:

• determine the type of fungus;
• identify even a single case of infection;
• evaluate the result after the course of therapy;
• monitor the condition of the hair of people who were in constant close contact with the patient.

For a final and more reliable diagnosis, laboratory tests are required:

1. Examining hair under a microscope. With feline lichen, a mosaic arrangement of microspores is observed.
2. Bacterial sowing. This method allows you to determine the type of fungus, so that the optimal treatment can be prescribed.

Rules for treating feline lichen in humans

It is important not to delay treatment as spores can spread throughout the body. This is especially true for children, because young patients are unable to control their desire to scratch the affected skin.

The duration of therapy is 3-5 weeks. The term depends on the severity of the disease. The therapy is considered complete if:

• there is no fluorescent glow when illuminated by a lamp;
• external signs of a fungus, namely spots, are absent;
• in a laboratory study, the fungus is not detected (for the reliability of the results, a three-time analysis is required).

Traditional medicine

Only a dermatologist can prescribe medications. Even if this is a relapse of the disease, the remedy that was used previously will not always be effective again, since the causative agent may be a completely different fungus.

In case of damage to the skin of the body, it is prescribed:

• 2–5% iodine solution (the affected areas are smeared with it in the morning);
• sulfur-tar or special antifungal ointment based on sulfur or salicylic acid (Mikogel, Lamisil, Ketanozol, Miconazole, Clotrimazole).

This treatment is carried out during the first two weeks. Then a 3% iodine solution is used for another three weeks.

A sulfur-based ointment helped me (unfortunately, I don't remember its exact name). Lichen appeared on the left forearm, and I did not immediately understand that it was a fungus and it was necessary to fight it. I bought the ointment after the small speck turned into a spot 5 cm in diameter. But the sulfuric ointment almost immediately stopped the growth of the plaque, and within a week the spot completely disappeared.

In case of damage to the scalp, Griseofulvin is used for therapy. It is an antifungal antibiotic that is taken by mouth. This drug is characterized by a complete absence of toxicity, therefore, it is also allowed for the treatment of children under three years of age (in this case, it looks like a suspension). Additionally, external treatment is carried out, for which iodine and antifungal creams and ointments are used. Hair during the period of therapy is shaved; this should be done every week. This will help prevent further spread of fungal spores. The head needs to be washed daily, for which it is better to choose a special antifungal medicinal shampoo.

For lesions of eyelashes and eyebrows, greenery is used for treatment in combination with an antifungal ointment.

Traditional methods

Folk remedies can only be an additional treatment to help get rid of discomfort. The most effective treatments for feline lichen are the following:

1. Newspaper ash. A large newspaper must be rolled up into a tube, tied in three places. Place this package on the bottom of the plate and set it on fire. Let the newspaper burn completely. The brown substance that forms on the plate has healing properties. Without waiting for it to cool down, lubricate the affected area. Two or three procedures are enough for recovery. Newspaper ash has a detrimental effect on the fungus, which is the causative agent of lichen. Newspaper ink contains zinc, which is an antiseptic, regenerating and strengthening effect on the skin. Because of this, the ash is able to relieve itching, dry it and disinfect it, protect the healthy epidermis from further spread of infection.
2. Apple vinegar. Compresses with this remedy are effective. To do this, moisten the cloth in vinegar, and then apply to the affected area. The number of procedures per day should be six. The last time the compress should be applied before bedtime. Vinegar effectively fights the itching that often accompanies lichen and prevents further spread of the disease. This is due to the fact that vinegar changes the habitat of the fungus, changing its acid-base balance towards oxidation. In such conditions, the fungus cannot live, therefore it dies. In addition, apple cider vinegar contains a large amount of amino acids that contribute to the rapid regeneration of the skin.

3. Tar. It (150 g) must be mixed with two yolks, 100 g of cream. Rub this mixture into the affected areas twice a day. Tar can be mixed with butter. The resulting mixture should be spread over the affected area, and then a bandage should be applied. This procedure should be done at night. Tar promotes tissue rejuvenation and renewal. Also, this tool has a disinfecting effect.

   

   Tar mixed with butter can be used as a bandage to treat lichen

Video: how to cure lichen at home

Alternative methods

Hardware methods are also effective:

1. Heliotherapy and UV radiation. This procedure involves sun treatment in aerosolaria or on equipped medical beaches (they have special roofs with filters). UV rays increase the flaking of the skin, so that all affected skin is removed, and with it the spores of the fungus. The optimal duration of exposure to sunlight is 2 hours. However, it is recommended to choose the time before 11 am or after 16 pm. In the interval between this time, the sun is very aggressive and can be harmful. It is recommended to drink small amounts of water while in the sun, as UV rays also affect the body's metabolism. It is not recommended to sunbathe on an empty stomach or immediately after meals. The optimal position is lying on a trestle bed about 40 cm high with a slightly raised head end. At the same time, the head must be in the shade, and the eyes must be covered with sunglasses.
2. Laser therapy. It is used for lesions with itchy lichen species, although it has a beneficial effect on the skin in other types of lesions. For treatment, a low-intensity laser (red or infrared) is used. Laser radiation has an antibacterial effect, eliminates inflammation and itching, soothes the skin and reduces its sensitivity. This procedure cannot be performed during pregnancy, in the presence of oncological and infectious diseases, blood diseases, open form of tuberculosis, as well as in the acute period of a stroke or heart attack.

3. Cryodestruction. The procedure involves the use of liquid nitrogen. The most effective method for excessive skin lesions is depriving. Cryodestruction of permission for use during pregnancy and childhood. In the process of exposure to liquid nitrogen, antimicrobial, antiviral immunity is formed, which prevents secondary infection. It is recommended to use the method in combination with drug therapy.

   

   Cryodestruction implies a point exposure to liquid nitrogen

These methods are used only after diagnosis and consultation with a doctor.

Preventive measures

Each cat owner needs to follow preventive measures, which will protect both the pet and himself from this unpleasant disease.

For the owner

Personal hygiene can prevent the development of many skin diseases, including lichen. This primarily applies to children. They need to be explained that contact with domestic animals can lead to unpleasant and dangerous consequences, so it is better to refuse this, and if contact does occur, then you must wash your hands immediately after that.

It is also necessary to carefully check those animals that it was decided to shelter at home, even if they are purchased from trusted breeders.

Cat lichen can be transmitted between people, so the patient needs to use separate personal items. This applies to hairbrushes, towels, washcloths, bed linen. At the same time, a sick person is prohibited from visiting places of a large crowd of people, including a school, kindergarten, office, etc.

If there is a sick cat in the house, then you need to take care of it with gloves.

For pet

The main preventive measures that will help protect your pet from lichen are good nutrition and proper care. Hygiene rules must also be followed for the cat. No matter how much she loves it, she needs to be bathed regularly, while it is recommended to use a special shampoo that can eliminate not only fleas from the animal's fur, but also spores.

It is recommended to have a preventive examination with a veterinarian every six months. Vaccinations must be timely. This also applies to anthelmintic measures. These measures will help maintain the animal's immunity at the proper level.

Other

You can avoid contamination of cats that do not walk by regularly wet cleaning with antimicrobial agents. Additionally, you should immediately wash your shoes after coming from the street and take off your clothes, not allowing the animal to come into contact with it.

Deprive for a person with strong immunity does not pose any danger. But it can be very unpleasant, bringing discomfort and spoiling the quality of life. Therefore, when contacting a sick animal, it is recommended to follow the rules of personal hygiene and, at the slightest suspicion of an illness, immediately consult a doctor.