INTRODUCTION

CLAUDIA CAFARCHIA

Department of Veterinary Public Health, University of Bari, Valenzano (Bari), Italy

Mycoses are infections caused by fungal organisms that usually grow as saprophytes in the environment. Most of these fungi are opportunistic and rarely cause disease in healthy animals, but they can affect immunocompromised individuals. In this chapter, the most common emerging fungal pathogens of animals are considered. A limited number of antifungal agents are licensed for use in animals; however, many of those available for the treatment of mycoses in humans are used by veterinary practitioners. The practical applications and the therapeutic regimens that have proved successful in the treatment of fungal infections in animals are summarized in Table 40.1(¹).