Mycology Review:

Identification of Common Dermatophytes

Sandy Arduin, MT (ASCP)
Bruce Palma, MT (ASCP)
Mycology Unit
Bureau of Laboratories
Michigan Department of Community Health

This project was supported in part by Grant/Cooperative Agreement

NumberU10/CCU523395-01 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Its contents are solely the responsibility of Michigan Department of Community Health and do
not necessarily represent the official views of CDC
Dermatophytes
 Index
 Trichophyton rubrum Microsporum nanum
 Trichophyton mentagrophytes Differentiation Table
 Hair Perforation Test Test Your Knowledge
 Trichophyton tonsurans Unknown 1
 Trichophyton verrucosum Unknown 2
 Trichophyton terrestre Unknown 3
 Epidermophyton floccosum Unknown 4
 Microsporum canis Unknown 5
 Microsporum gypseum Unknown 6
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Macroscopic colony morphology descriptions are based on cultures grown on SAB agar.
Colony morphology may vary on other culture media.
Trichophyton rubrum
Colony growth is slow to
moderate, downy, white on the
surface with a red to brown
reverse.
Microconidia are club-shaped to
pyriform and are formed along the
sides of the hyphae.
Macroconidia are pencil-shaped
to cigar-shaped.
Lab tests: hair perforation test
negative, urease negative, growth
at 37°C.
Infection is typically found on
the feet, hands, nails, or groin.
Trichophyton mentagrophytes
Colony growth is moderately rapid,
powdery to granular, white to cream
colored on the surface with a yellowish,
brown or red-brown reverse.
 Microconidia are numerous,
unicellular, round to pyriform and found
in grape like clusters. Spiral hyphae are
often present.
Macroconidia are multiseptate, club-
shaped and often absent.
Lab tests: hair perforation test
positive, urease positive, growth at 37°C.
Infection is typically found on the feet,
hands, or groin, but can also be
associated with inflammatory lesions of
the scalp, nails, and beard.
 Hair Perforation Test

Perforations

Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton rubrum,

Hair perforation test is positive. Hair perforation test is negative.
Trichophyton tonsurans
Colony growth is slow, suede-like
to powdery, white, beige, pale yellow
to sulphur yellow on the surface with
a yellow to dark brown reverse.
Microconidia are numerous,
varying in shape and size (pyriform,
club-shaped to balloon- shaped).
Macroconidia are rare. When
present they are sinuous with smooth
walls.
Lab tests: hair perforation test
typically negative, urease positive,
growth at 37°C. Growth is enhanced
on thiamine.
Infections are primarily of the
scalp. Occasionally the glabrous skin
or nails are infected.
Trichophyton verrucosum
Colony growth is very slow, glabrous
to lightly downy, white, sometimes
yellow or grey on the surface without
any characteristic pigment on the
reverse.
 Microconidia are club-shaped, but
are rare or absent. Typically,
chlamydospores in chains are seen.
 Macroconidia have a “rat tail”
appearance, but are rarely seen.
Lab tests: hair perforation test
negative, urease negative, growth at
37°C. Growth is enhanced on media
with thiamine and inositol, and is more
rapid at 37ºC than at 25ºC.
Infection is more common on cattle
or other farm animals. Infection in
humans is typically found on the scalp,
beard or glabrous skin.
Trichophyton terrestre
Colony growth is rapid, powdery to
velvety, white to cream on the surface
with a pale, slightly yellow reverse.
Occasionally, isolates may have a pink,
red-brown, or wine-colored reverse.
Microconidia are numerous, club-
shaped, with a squared-off base, often
borne on short pedicels.
Macroconidia are 2-8 celled and
generally borne at right angles to the
hyphae.
Lab tests: hair perforation test positive,
urease positive and will not grow at
37°C.
This is a geophilic fungus, very
common in soil. It can also be isolated
from the fur of small mammals.
Epidermophyton floccosum
Colony growth is slow,
powdery, with a yellow to khaki
surface color and chamois to
brown reverse.
Macroconidia are club shaped,
with thin smooth walls and can
be solitary or grouped in
clusters. Chlamydospores are
often produced in large
numbers.
Microconidia are absent.
Lab tests: hair perforation test
negative, urease positive, growth
at 37°C.
Infections are commonly
cutaneous, especially of the
groin or feet.
Microsporum canis
Colony growth is rapid, downy
to wooly, cream to yellow on the
surface with a yellow to yellow-
orange reverse.
Microconidia are club-shaped
but typically are absent.
Macroconidia are fusoid,
verrucose, and thick walled. They
have a recurved apex and contain
5-15 cells.
Lab tests: hair perforation test
positive and urease positive.
Infection in humans occurs on
the scalp and glabrous skin. It is
also a cause of ringworm in cats
and dogs.
Microsporum gypseum
Colony growth is rapid, downy,
becoming powdery to granular,
cream, tawny-buff, or pale cinnamon
on the surface with a beige to red-
brown reverse.
Microconidia are moderately
abundant and club-shaped.
Macroconidia are abundant,
ellipsoidal to fusiform, sometimes
verrucose, and thin walled. They
typically contain 3-6 cells.
Lab tests: hair perforation test
positive and urease positive.
Infection in humans is found on
the scalp and glabrous skin; it is
more frequently isolated from the
soil and from the fur of small
rodents.
Microsporum nanum
Colony growth is rapid, downy
to powdery, white to buff on the
surface, with a red-brown reverse.
Microconidia, if present, occur in
small numbers.
Macroconidia are numerous, 1-3
celled, and have a characteristic
pear or egg shape. Typically
macroconidia are 2 celled. Conidia
are solitary on the ends of short
conidiophores.
Lab tests: hair perforation test
positive and urease positive.
Infection is rarely transmitted to
humans; it is the principal cause of
tinea in pigs.
Dermatophyte Hair Urease Growth Macro-conidia Micro-conidia Distinguishing
Differentiation Perforation Test at 37°C Characteristics
Table: Test
Trichophyton Negative Negative Positive Pencil shaped/cigar Club shaped to Red reverse pigment
shaped pyriform, along the Hair perf. test neg.
rubrum sides of the hyphae Club shaped microconidia

Trichophyton Positive Positive Positive Club shaped when Numerous Round microconidia in
present Unicellular to round grape like clusters
mentagrophytes Spiral hyphae
in grape like clusters

Trichophyton Usually (-) Positive Positive Cylindrical to cigar Numerous, varying Microconidia varying in
Occasionally + shaped and in shape and size, shape and size
tonsurans sinuous, if present club shaped to Growth enhanced by
balloon shaped thiamine

Trichophyton Negative Negative Positive “Rat-tailed” if Rare or Absent Chlamydospores in chains

present Chlamydospores in Growth better on media
verrucosum
chains typically seen with thiamine and inositol

Trichophyton Positive Positive Negative 2-8 celled borne at Club shaped with Microconidia with
terrestre right angles to squared-off base on squared-off base on short
hyphae pedicels pedicels

Epidermophyton Negative Positive Positive Club shaped, often Absent Khaki colored colony with
in clusters brown reverse
floccosum
Microconidia absent

Microsporum Positive Positive NA Fusoid, thick, Typically absent Fusoid, rough walled
rough walled with Club shaped if macroconidia with
canis recurved apex present recurved apex

Microsporum Positive Positive NA Ellipsoidal to Moderately abundant Thin walled macroconidia

fusiform, thin, Club shaped Tawny-buff granular
gypseum Rough walled colony

Microsporum Positive Positive NA Typically 2 celled Clavate when 2 celled pear shaped
Pear or egg shaped present macroconidia
nanum
Rough walled
 Test Your Knowledge
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Unknown 1

Colony growth is
rapid, downy to wooly,
cream to yellow on the
surface with a yellow
to yellow- orange
reverse.

Answer
Unknown 2

Colony growth is
moderately rapid,
powdery to granular,
white to cream colored
on the surface with a
yellowish, brown or
red-brown reverse.

Answer
Unknown 3

Colony growth is rapid,

downy to powdery,
white to buff on the
surface, with a red-
brown reverse.

Answer
Unknown 4

Colony growth is very slow,

glabrous to lightly downy,
white, sometimes yellow or
grey on the surface without
any characteristic pigment on
the reverse.
Growth is enhanced on media
with thiamine and inositol,
and is more rapid at 37ºC than
at 25ºC.

Answer
Unknown 5

Colony growth is slow to

moderate, downy, white
on the surface with a red
to brown reverse.

Answer
Unknown 6

Colony growth is rapid,

downy, becoming powdery to
granular, cream, tawny-buff,
or pale cinnamon on the
surface with a beige to red-
brown reverse.

Answer
 Glossary
Anthropophilic A fungus (dermatophyte) which grows preferentially on humans, rather than on animals or in soil.
Clavate Club-shaped.
Conidium A unicellular or multicellular fungal element which serves as an asexual reproductive structure.
Dermatophyte A mould belonging to the genera: Epidermophyton, Microsporum, Trichophyton; typically
infecting skin, hair and nails.
Fusoid Spindle shaped; ellipsoidal with two tapered ends.
Glabrous Smooth, lacking hairs.
Geophilic A fungus (dermatophyte) which grows preferentially on substrates found in the soil, rather than
on animals or humans.
Macroconidia The larger of two types of conidia produced by the same fungus. May be multicellular.
Microconidia The smaller of two types of conidia produced by the same fungus. Typically unicellular.
Onychomycosis Fungal infection of the nails.
Spiral hyphae Hyphae curved into a spiral. Typically seen in Trichophyton mentagrophytes, but may be seen in
other dermatophytes as well
Verrucose Having many warts
Zoophilic A fungus (dermatophyte) which grows preferentially on animals, rather than on humans or in soil.
 Bibliography
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Company, Belmont, California.
 Kane, Julius, Summerbell, Richard, Sigler, Lynn, Krajden, Sigmund, and Land, Geoffrey. 1997.
Laboratory Handbook of Dermatophytes. Star Publishing Co., Belmont, CA.
 Larone, Davise H. 1995. Medically Important Fungi, A Guide to Identification, 3rd ed., ASM
Press, Washington, D.C.
 McGinnis, M.R. 1980. Laboratory Handbook of Medical Mycology, Academic Press, New York,
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 McGinnis, M.R., D'Amato, RF., Land, GA. 1982. Pictorial Handbook of Medically Important
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Microbiology, 7th Edition, ASM Press, Washington, D.C.
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University of Miami Press, Coral Gables, Florida.
 Rippon, J.W., 1974. Medical Mycology The Pathogenic Fungi and The Pathogenic Actinomycetes.
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 St-Germain, G., Summerbell, R. 1996. Identifying Filamentous Fungi, Star Publishing Company.
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