ABSTRACT
Dermatophytes are keratinophilic fungi belonging to the anamorphic (asexual or imperfect) genera Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton. These organisms have the capacity to invade keratinized tissues (skin, nails, and hair), resulting in dermatophytosis (ringworm or tinea). Unlike Trichophyton and Microsporum, which all encompass a large number of anthropophilic, zoophilic and geophilic species, Epidermophton consists of a single anthropophilic species (E. °occosum). In addition, while members of Trichophyton and Microsporum infect skin, nails, and hair, E. °occosum affects only skin and nails but not hair. In immunocompromised patients, dermatophyte infections may assume insidious and severe forms such as disseminated disease and dermatophytic granulomas. As clinical disease syndromes due to Epidermophton are indistinguishable from those caused by Trichophyton and Microsporum, accurate identi–cation of these organisms is critical for the control and prevention of dermatophytosis.
