Morphological and biochemical characterization of the aetiological agents of white piedra

• Published in: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 103; no. 8; pp. 786 - 790
• Main Authors: Magalhães, Alba Regina, Mondino, Silvia Susana Bona de, Silva, Manuela da, Nishikawa, Marilia Martins
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde 01.12.2008; Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)
• Subjects: Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Male; Mycological Typing Techniques; mycosis; PARASITOLOGY; phenotypic identification; Piedra - microbiology; Retrospective Studies; Scalp Dermatoses - microbiology; Trichosporon; Trichosporon - chemistry; Trichosporon - classification; Trichosporon - cytology; TROPICAL MEDICINE; white piedra; phenotypic identification; white piedra; mycosis; Trichosporon
• ISSN: 0074-0276; 1678-8060; 1678-8060; 0074-0276
• DOI: 10.1590/S0074-02762008000800008

The Trichosporon genus is constituted by many species, of which Trichosporon ovoides and Trichosporon inkin are the causative agents of white piedra. They can cause nodules in genital hair or on the scalp. At present, Brazilian laboratory routines generally do not include the identification of the species of Trichosporon genus, which, although morphologically and physiologically distinct, present many similarities, making the identification difficult. The aim of this study was to identify the aetiological agents at the species level of white piedra from clinical specimens. Therefore, both the macro and micro morphology were studied, and physiological tests were performed. Trichosporon spp. was isolated from 10 clinical samples; T. ovoides was predominant, as it was found in seven samples, while T. inkin was identified just in two samples. One isolate could not be identified at the species level. T. inkin was identified for the first time as a white piedra agent in the hair shaft on child under the age of 10.