Invasion of the skin by filamentous non-dermatophyte fungi.

Abstract

SUMMARY. —Four cases of invasion of the glabrous skin by filamentous, non-dermatophyte fungi are described. Aspergillus niger was found in the toewebs of 1 patient and Allescheria boydii in those of another. Fusarium solani and F. oxysporum var. redolens were colonising necrotic skin in 2 diabetic patients. It was concluded that in all these cases the fungal invasion was purely saprophytic in nature. The difficulty of discriminating between contamination and saprophytic invasion of the skin by non-dermatophytes is discussed and criteria for making the distinction are suggested.