Dermatophyte Pathogenicity as a Function of Mating Type and Associated Enzymes

Abstract

Severity of ringworm infections appears to be related to the production of proteolytic enzymes which in turn is related to mating type in two species tested T. mentagrophytes (A.benhamii (a) and (A)) and Microsporum fulvum (Nannizzia julva (+) and (-)). No difference in experimental guinea pig infections could be detected between the mating types of two other species which did not elaborate proteolytic enzymes Nannizzia incurvata and Nannizzia gypsea (Microsporum gypseum complex).