(Figure 4.21C) - Superficial infection of hair shaft where fungal elements adhere to form nodes along hair shaft
- Two types: black piedra and white piedra
- Black piedra: Piedraia hortae; presents with tiny dark concretions on hairs shafts distributed irregularly; culture shows black velvety colony
- White piedra: Trichosporon cutaneum (formerly T. beigelii ) most common; other species include T. ovoides, T. inkin, and T. asahii; presents with light brown, less adherent nodules coating hair shaft (beard, axilla, pubic hairs)
- Of note, T. cutaneum can cause fungemia with systemic disease in immunocompromised patients
- Treatment: shaving/cutting hair, topical imidazoles
| | | | | | Do not confuse trichosporon with “trichophyton” | | | | | |
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| | Figure 4.21
A: Pityriasis versicolor
(Courtesy of Dr. Paul Getz)
B: Tinea nigra
(Courtesy of Dr. Marcus
Henrique de Sousa Brito
Xavier, Brazil)
C: Piedra
(Courtesy of Doctor Fungus,
www.doctorfungus.org) |
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