Mycological Survey of Fungal Carriage in Cats and Their Owners: Analysis of Species Diversity and Antifungal Susceptibility

Healthy and asymptomatic cats may serve as reservoirs of fungal pathogens, facilitating transmission through direct contact or environmental contamination, and they may represent an underrecognized source of subclinical fungal infection in humans, particularly among cat owners and veterinarians. We evaluated the prevalence of fungal species in healthy cats and their owners, assessed potential cat–human transmission, identified feline lifestyle factors associated with Microsporum canis carriage, and evaluated antifungal susceptibility of the most prevalent isolated fungi. We collected 59 cat facial hair and 59 owner nail samples for fungal isolation and identification. Five fungal species were identified, M. canis, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. fumigatus, and A. terreus, which were found in both cats and humans. Aspergillus spp. were the most frequently detected fungi in both groups. Significant associations between cats and owners were observed for M. canis (p = 0.010) and A. niger (p = 0.050). Long-haired cats showed a significantly higher prevalence of carrying M. canis (p = 0.024), while other lifestyle factors were not associated with fungal carriage. The antifungal susceptibility profiles of the tested fungi were broadly similar between feline and human isolates; however, resistance to itraconazole and amphotericin B was detected among Aspergillus spp. Healthy cats and their owners frequently share fungal species, especially M. canis, which suggests possible household zoonotic transmission. Long-haired cats are at higher risk of M. canis carriage.