Mycology is the study of fungi. It is closely associated with plant pathology as fungi cause the majority of plant disease. Historically, mycology was a branch of botany because, although fungi are evolutionarily more closely related to animals than to plants, this was not recognized until a few decades ago. Veterinary mycology is a branch deals with identification of veterinary fungi, pathophysiology and diagnosis of fungal infections, pharmacodynamics of antifungals in animals, epidemiology of animal mycoses, eradication and vaccine development against invasive veterinary fungal infections. Animals are hosts to numerous fungal pathogens most of which can also infect humans. In some cases, these diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans or vice versa. This book gives comprehensive details of the fungal diseases in man and domesticated animals and their management methods. Students of veterinary science, microbiology and veterinary practitioners will find this book important in their study and work.

This book is a comprehensive overview of the fungi that are clinically relevant for animals and humans. It is divided in three major parts: the first part comprises the history of veterinary and medical mycology, general aspects of morphology, growth, nutrition, reproduction and classification of fungi. In the second part, the etiologic agents of cutaneous, subcutaneous and systemic mycoses are described in detail with special emphasis on emerging and uncommon pathogenic fungi. Each chapter consists of a brief history and the morphology, classification, reproduction, susceptibility to disinfectants, natural habitat, distribution, genome, isolation, growth and colony characteristics, antigenic characteristics, virulence factors. The major diseases and their routes of transmission, pathogenesis, immunity, diagnosis and treatment are also covered. The third part focuses on laboratory diagnosis including clinical sample collection, their processing for fungal isolation, special stains for microscopic visualization, culture media composition and a relevant glossary. Each chapter includes color photographs, schematic diagrams and tables for better understanding.