Dermatophytes
Synopsis
Fungal infections are unique cutaneous ectodermal fungi strictly confined to nonliving epidermal tissues that possess the ability to degrade keratin rich tissues e.g., the skin (the stratum corneum), hair, nails, horn. Thus, the fungi causing cutaneous mycoses are called as “dermatophytosis or dermatomycoses”. Since these fungi degrade keratin, they are also called keratinophilic fungi. The terms superficial and cutaneous for brevity mean that superficial mycoses are limited to stratum corneum whereas cutaneous mycosis involve integument and its appendages hair and nails. Ringworm is a popular name attributed to infection caused by these fungi.Dermatophytic lesions on the skin are usually round, erythematous, and itchy due to the inflammatory response triggered by the fungus and its metabolites (Hube et al., 2015).