Dermatophytes Clinical Microbiology Review 268
OTHER MOST COMMON
DERMATOPHYTE INFECTS MACROCONIDIA MICROCONIDIA CHARACTERISTICS SPECIES
Microsporum
Trichophyton
Epidermophyton
M. caris, M. gypseum,
M. audouinii
T. mentagrophytes,
T. rubrum, T. tonsurans
(primary cause of
tinea capitis in U.S.)
E. floccosumis only
species
Skin, hair. Rarely
nails.
Skin, hair, nails.
Skin, sometimes
nails. Rarely hair.
Large, spindle or
cylinder shaped,
thick walled, multi-
septate, rough, spiny.
Borne singly on short
conidiophores.
Rare. Pencil shaped,
multiseptate, thin
walled, smooth,
borne singly on
conidiophore.
Club shaped, septate,
thin walled, smooth.
Borne in singles or
clusters of 2–3 on
conidiophore.
Ectothrix hair invasion.
Some species cause
hair to fluoresce.
Hair infections en-
dothrix or ectothrix.
Hair usually doesn’t
fluoresce. May have
spirals, nodular bodies,
chlamydospores,
faviform mycelia.
T. rubrumcolonies are
red on reverse side.
Numerous
chlamydospores.
Few or absent.
Small, club
shaped.
Predominant.
Spherical, tear
shaped, or
clavate.
Absent.
