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In Auckland during the past five years Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht has been consistently isolated by one of the authors (F.M.R-M.) from milky lesions on great toe nails. A few reports of similar infections have been recorded elsewhere, but from observations on over 50 cases it is possible to recognize that this fungus in man produces a highly characteristic type of onychomycosis.The occurrence in nature of Fusarium species, clinical appearance and treatment, isolation and identification of F. oxysporum and possibie mode of infection are discussed.

Investigations in New Zealand have shown that animals are an important reservoir of human ringworm. Of 4,328 dermatophytes recovered from human lesions over the six-year period 1963-68, 1,579 (36-5%) were considered to be of animal origin-1,254 (29-0% total) Microsporum canis; 189 (4-4% total) Trichophyton erinacei; 86 (2-0'/r total) Trichophyton mentagrophytes; 46 (1'1%) Trichophyton verrucosum; 2 Microsporum distortum and 2 Trichophyton equinum var. autotrophicum. Human infection with zoophilic dermatophytes was more pronounced in the younger age groups, showed no marked sex distribution, and usually occurred at only a single exposed site on the body. Apart from the M. canis ringworms which occurred mainly between the months February to August (autumn, winter), no marked seasonal variations were observed.Of the 12 dermatophyte species recovered from 1,290 wild, domestic and laboratory animals examined between 1960-68, only nine were regarded as possessing parasitic properties. These were the zoophilic Microsporum canis, M. distortum, M. nanum, Trichophyton erinacei, T. equinum var. autotrophicum, T. gallinae, T. mentagrophytes, T. verrucosum, and the geophilic M. gypseum. Those regarded as essentially non-pathogenic were the geophilic M. cookei, T. ajelloi and T. terrestre. Apart from T. mentagrophytes which was recovered from a wide variety of animals, the remaining pathogenic dermatophytes displayed marked host specificities. T. mentagrophytes var. quinckeanum was not isolated from any of the human or animal specimens.It is confirmed that, in New Zealand, animals form an important reservoir of human ringworm. Direct contact with small domestic pets rather than larger farm animals is the main source of ir>fection. Of the small wild animals, hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) appear most important.Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, University o£ Otago,

SUMMARY Pitted keratolysis is a skin disease characterized by the appearance of pitted lesions on the pressure‐bearing areas of the soles of the feet and less often affecting the palms of the hands. A coccofilamentous bacterium is consistently seen in microscopic preparations from the lesions and may be the causative agent of the disease. However, there has been some dispute as to the organism's identity because of the isolation of a number of different micro‐organisms, including Streptomyces spp. and a Corynebacterium sp. from previously reported cases. On the basis of histopathological evidence, it has also been suggested that the actinomycete Dermatophilus congolensis might be associated with the condition. In the present study, investigations into the prevalence and laboratory diagnosis of the condition resulted in the isolation of D. congolensis from two cases. The two isolates differed from those usually recovered from cases of dermatophilosis in humans and animals and may represent a hitherto unrecognized biotype of the species.