Growth on Sabouraud's agar of dermatophytes obtained by conventional scraping and by stripping with vinyl tape.

Abstract

SUMMARY In a preliminary investigation it was demonstrated that dermatophytes may grow from stratum corneum strippings placed direct on Sabouraud's dextrose agar. In the current study the results of such culture from stratum corneum strippings were compared with those of culture by the conventional technique. Out of 930 fungal tests, growth was obtained by both methods in eighty-two cases. In thirty-one cases growth of dermatophytes was obtained solely by the conventional technique and in eight cases solely by the tape method. Six species of dermatophytes were represented in the culture experiments This significant difference between the number of positive cultures is due to the strip technique being in some cases less suited for collecting scales, as there are no signs that the vinyl tape inhibits fungal growth. The strip technique is easy and practical, but as it yields less than the conventional technique, it is not suitable as a routine procedure.