A Pilot Study

To Investigate The Anti-Fungal Activity of A 2% Boric Acid/ 2% Acetic Acid Shampo

E Cook, S.Paterson, B Pickavance
Rutland House Veterinary Hospital, Department of Dermatology

Samples of hair were combed from 10 Persian cats infected with a confirmed infection with Microsporum canis on the basis of hair fluorescence and positive cultures. None of the cats had been treated with any topical or systemic anti-fungal therapy prior to starting the study. The hair was divided into 7 amounts, each weighing approximately 1 g, and placed in sterile nylon stockings. Care was taken to ensure that fluorescent hairs were present in each Group. 7 wash solutions were prepared by investigator 2. 20 ml each of (1) water, (2 and 3) 2% chlorhexidene / 2% miconazole shampoo, (4,5,6,7) 2% boric acid / 2% acetic acid shampoo. Investigator 1 was blinded to the identity of the 7 samples and asked to wash each of one the sample in one of the solutions. For samples 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 a ten minute contact time was used. For samples 4 and 5 a five minute contact time was used. Each sample was then rinsed in 100ml of sterile water and left to dry on sterile swabs. Each sample was then submitted individually to a commercial laboratory (Axiom laboratory) for fungal culture. A profuse growth of Microsporum canis was obtained from samples 1, 2, 3 after 14 days. No fungal growth was obtained from samples 4,5,6,7 after 3 weeks.

This in vitro study suggests that a 2% boric acid / 2% acetic acid shampoo has good anti-fungal activity with both a 5 and 10 minute contact time.