Is dermatophytosis a fungus?
Home arrow-right-small-blue Topics AZ arrow-right-small-blue Mycology of dermatophyte infections Show Print Mycology of dermatophyte infectionsAuthor: Hon A/ProfAmanda Oakley, Dermatologist, Hamilton, New Zealand, 2003. Mycology of dermatophyte infections codes and concepts open Categories: Fungal infection Subcategories: Anthropophilic dermatophytes, Zoophilic dermatophytes, Geophilic dermatophytes, Microsporum, Trichophyton, Epidermophyton ICD-10: B35 ICD-11: 1F28.Y SNOMED CT: 275716001, 115651002, 33199005, 12005000, 56444005, 11983001, 88578003, 112403007 What is mycology?Mycology is the study of fungi. What are dermatophyte fungi?Dermatophyte fungi are the ringworm fungi (tinea). They depend on their host, which may be an animal ("zoophilic") or a human ("anthropophilic") and need to spread from one host to another to survive. Dermatophytes may also prefer to live in the soil ("geophilic"). Anthropophilic dermatophytes are so well adapted to living on human skin that they provoke a minimal inflammatory reaction. Zoophilic or geophilic dermatophytes will often provoke a more vigorous inflammatory reaction when they attempt to invade human skin. There are nine genera of dermatophytes, recognised by the nature of their macroconidae (asexual spores). The common dermatophytes infecting humans are:
Other genera are Arthroderma, Ctenomyces, Lophophyton, Nannizzia, Guarromyces and Paraphyton. There are about 50 species. Their spores can live for more than a year in human skin scales in the environment. Anthropophilic organisms include:
Zoophilic organisms include:
Geophilic organisms include:
How are dermatophyte fungi diagnosed?Fungal infection may be suspected clinically or with the help of dermatoscopy. The presence of a dermatophyte infection is confirmed by:
Microscopy showing dermatophyte fungal elementsMycology cultureOn DermNet NZ
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