DERMATOPHYTES

Fungi
Dermatophytes are keratinophilic fungi that
infect tissues containing keratin (skin, hair
and nails), stimulates epithelial cells of skin to
divide more frequently makes more keratin
available to fungi ,commonly responsible of
.skin disease in man and animals
 :Genera

Trichophyton : Infect hair,skin and nail

T. mentagrophytes
T. rubrum
T. schoenleinii
T. tonsurans
Microsporum
infect skin and hair.
M. audouinii
M. canis
M. gypseum
Epidermophyton
.Infect skin and nail
E. floccosum
 Ecology of dermophytes
(Classification)

.Anthropophilic
.Zoophilic
. Geophilic
 Anthropophilic
Associated with human only ,person to
person transmission through contaminated
objects eg comb,hat.
Trichophyton tonsurans
Microsporum audouinii
Trichophyton rubrum.
 Zoophilic
Associated with animals , transmission to
human by direct contact to animals.
 keratin-utilizing on hosts - animals

Microsporum canis
 Trichophyton verrucosum.

 Trichophyton mentagrophytes


 Geophilic

Found in soil ,transimission by direct

exposure. e.g. Microsporum gypseum.
- keratin-utilizing soil saprophytes
M Pathogencity
 Dermatophyte infections begin in the skin
after trauma and contact.
Host susceptibility may be enhanced by
moisture, warmth, composition of sebum,
heavy exposure, and genetic predisposition.
The severity of ringworm disease depends on
(1) strains or species of fungus involved and
(2) sensitivity of the host to a particular
pathogenic fungus
Dermatophytosis:
Disease of the nails, hair, and stratum
corneum of the skin caused by dermatophytes
fungi.
Dermatomycosis:
  Any skin disease caused by fungi.
 Dermatophyte infections →Dermatophytosis
termed ringworm or tinea because of the raised
circular lesions.
red, raised, scaly patches on skin that may blister,
The patches often have a sharply defined edge. The
skin may be hyper or hypopigmented.
Types of Dermatophytes Infections

Clinical manifestations of ringworm

infections have different names on basis of
infection sites or anatomic location involved
 Tinea capitis
Ringworm infection of the head, scalp,
eyebrows, eyelashes
 :Tinea barbae

Beard ringworm.
- ringworm infection of the beard.
 Tinea unguium
Ringworm infection of the nails
 Tinea pedis
Ringworm infection of the foot (athlete's
foot)

Infection caused by the

shedding of skin scales
containing viable
infectious hyphal
elements [arthroconidia]
 Tinea corporis
Ringworm infection of the body (smooth skin)
infection following contact with either
contaminated soil or an animal host.
Laboratory diagnosis
 Wood’s lamp
Examine hair for fluorescence. (Wood’s lamp)
(UV light) can be used to visualize the fungi.
A positive test shows bright yellow-green
fluorescence of the hair.
Clinical Material

Skin Scrapings, nail scrapings and hairs

 Direct KOH preparation (Microscopy)

Microscopically we look for the hyaline, septate

hyphae, and the presence or absence of macroconidia
and microconidia. (arthroconidia)
.
Isolation
 Isolation
Specimens were inoculated in
1- Sarborauds Dextrose Agar (SDA).
Dermatophyte Test Medium (DTM -2
A culture kept for a maximum of six weeks
before being ruled out as negative growth.
 Identification
Identification of dermatophytes based on
colonial characteristics in pure culture,
biochemical tests and microscopic
morphology of fungi
Colonial Morphology
:Microscopic morphology
Hair perforation test
 In vitro hair perforation test, is a laboratory test
used to help distinguish
the isolates of dermatophytes
Trichophyton schoenleinii
Epidermophyton floccosum
Hair perforation test is negative
 Microsporum canis

Hair perforation test is positive

membranous with a feathery periphery and

its center is white to buff over an orange-
yellow.
 Microsporum gypseum
Colony morphology

Powdery with lavender color

Hair perforation test is positive

 Trichophyton rubrum
:Microscopic morphology Colony morphology

Hair perforation test is negative.

Microsporum audouinii
 Trichophyton mentagrophytes
Hair perforation test is positive

 Perforations