Causes of Tinea Nigra
This skin infection happens after you come in contact with a fungus called Hortaea werneckii. Hortaea werneckii thrives in hypersaline environments or bodies of water with extremely high salt content.
What is Cladosporium Werneckii?
Dematiaceous fungi
Hortaea werneckii is the etiologic agent of tinea nigra, a superficial cutaneous mycosis typically involving either the palms of the hands or soles of the feet, and frequently acquired in subtropical coastal locations.
Where is Hortaea werneckii found?
Hortaea werneckii is a common saprophytic fungus believed to occur in soil, compost, humus and on wood in humid tropical and subtropical regions and is the causative agent of tinea nigra in humans.
Can Hortaea werneckii produce melanin?
Hortaea werneckii EGYNDA08 (Elsayed et al. 2016) was previously isolated from Egyptian local habitats. The strain’s colonies were found to be dark brown in color indicating the astronomical potentiality to produce melanin pigment.
Does Hortaea werneckii cause systemic infection?
Very rarely, in severely immunosuppressed patients, specifically patients with neutropenia following treatment for acute leukemia, Hortaea werneckii has been isolated from blood cultures or internal organ abscesses. Cases of systemic infection with dematiaceous fungus are referred to as phaeohyphomycoses.
Why is there a black spot on the bottom of my foot?
What are plantar warts? Plantar warts look like calluses on the ball of the foot or heel. They may appear to have small pinholes or tiny black spots in the center. They are usually painful and may develop as a single wart or in clusters.
Which concentration of sodium chloride does Hortaea Werneckii grow optimally?
H. werneckii is naturally adapted to fluctuating salt concentrations in its environment, and it can grow without salt and in up to saturated NaCl. Its optimum for growth is between 0.8 M and 1.7 M NaCl.
How do you say Hortaea Werneckii?
hor·taea wer·necki·i.
What causes black Piedra?
Black piedra is caused by the fungus Piedraia hortae, of the class Ascomycetes, and presents with darker-colored nodules on hair shafts. Black piedra typically occurs on the scalp.
What causes superficial mycosis?
The most prevalent superficial mycoses are caused by different groups of pathogenic fungi, the dermatophytes or ringworm fungi, Candida and Malassezia species.
Is White Piedra harmful?
Although white piedra is a relatively harmless condition, without treatment, it can lead to brittle and damaged hair. People can treat it by shaving the affected area and applying an antifungal medication.
What causes Chromoblastomycosis?
Chromoblastomycosis is a chronic fungal infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. The infection usually results from a traumatic injury and inoculation of microorganism from a specific group of dematiaceous fungi (usually Fonsecaea pedrosoi, Phialophora verrucosa, Cladophialophora carrionii).
Is Dermatophyte a yeast?
Tinea unguium, a dermatophyte infection of the nail, is a subset of onychomycosis, which also may be caused by yeast and non-dermatophyte molds. Risk factors for this infection include aging, diabetes, poorly fitting shoes, and the presence of tinea pedis.
What can antifungal cream be used for?
Antifungal creams, liquids or sprays (also called topical antifungals) These are used to treat fungal infections of the skin, scalp and nails. They include clotrimazole, econazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, tioconazole, terbinafine, and amorolfine.
What are the symptoms of tinea capitis?
Tinea capitis (also called ringworm of the scalp) is a skin disorder that affects children almost exclusively. It can be persistent and very contagious. Symptoms may consist of itching, scaly, inflammed balding areas on the scalp. Oral antifungal medications are required to treat the infection.
What is the difference between black piedra and white piedra?
Piedra is a superficial fungal infection of the hair shaft. The two types of piedra, white piedra and black piedra are caused by fungi of the genera Trichosporon and Piedraia respectively. [1,2] Typically, black piedra affects the scalp hair, while white piedra tends to affect facial, axillary and pubic hair.
