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Unknown 72 = Trichophyton erinacei
Case history: A zoo keeper presented with an erythematous scaly skin lesion on the wrist. The fungus below was isolated.
Trichophyton erinacei is a zoophilic fungus associated with hedgehogs and the epidermal mites which they often harbour. Human infections occur most frequently on the exposed parts of the body; but tinea of the scalp and nails can also occur. Invaded hairs show an ectothrix infection but do not fluoresce under Wood's ultra-violet light. The distribution of this fungus is New Zealand and Europe.
Culture: Colonies are white, flat, powdery, sometimes downy to fluffy with a brilliant lemon yellow reverse.
Microscopy: Numerous large clavate microconidia are borne on the sides of hyphae. Macroconidia are smooth-walled, two- to six-celled, clavate, variable in size, and may have terminal appendages. Macroconidia are much shorter than those seen in T. mentagrophytes.
Comment: T. erinacei is generally distinguished by (a) its microscopic morphology showing numerous large slender clavate microconidia borne on the slides of hyphae and its smooth, thin-walled clavate macroconidia; (b) its brilliant lemon yellow reverse pigment on plain Sabouraud's agar and Lactritmel agar; (c) its lack of reverse pigment on Sabouraud's salt agar; and (d) its negative hydrolysis of urea.
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