DERMATOPHYTE GROWTH AND DEGRADATION OF HUMAN STRATUM CORNEUM IN VITRO (PATHOGENESIS OF DERMATOPHYTOSIS).

Authors

  • Azam Jah Samdani

Abstract

Background: This study was carried out to determine growth of dermatophytes using humanstratum corneum in vitro and the degrading effect of Keratinases (Proteinases) on stratum corneumfor a complete understanding of the host parasite relationship. Method: Trichophyton rubrumisolates derived from patients with tinea cruris infections were obtained from the Department ofMedical Microbiology, University Hospital of Wales, U.K. Human stratum corneum sterilizedwith ethylene oxide was used as a nitrogen source in agar culture medium plates. Result: Fungalgrowth took place in plates which contained human stratum corneum particles while there was nogrowth in the plates without stratum corneum at three weeks after initiation. There was a gradualdisappearance of the particles of stratum corneum from the plates at the end of the third weekConclusion: The growth of organisms in plates with human stratum corneum and theirdisappearance at third week suggested that stratum corneum was not only source of nutrition forthe dermatophytes, but also the growing fungal mycelia and the proteinases induced by them wereplaying a part in the digestion of granules and thus may have an important role in the pathogenesisof dermatophyte infections.Key-words: Proteinases, Stratum -corneum, Dermatophytes

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Issue

Vol. 17 No. 4 (2005): JOURNAL OF AYUB MEDICAL COLLEGE, ABBOTTABAD

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

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