The detection and identification of fungal DNA from clinical samples is one of the fundamental approaches in biomedicine. The incidence, distribution, and control of dermatophytes has progress significantly and the use of phylogenetic species concepts based on rRNA regions have enhanced the taxonomy of dermatophyte species; however, the use of 28S rDNA genes has certain limitations. This gene has been used in dermatophyte taxonomy with limited enumeration; we appraised the sequence disparity within and among groups of the species, the gene ranking in identification, phylogenetic analysis, and taxonomy of 32 strains of eight dermatophyte species. In this study, a set of primers was adopted to amplify the target followed by a partial sequencing of the rDNA. The utilization of a pairwise nucleotide differentiation, an affinity was observed among eight dermatophyte species, with disparity among species ranging from 0 to 197 base pair (bp). Intra-species bp differences were found within strains of Trichophyton eriotrephon, Trichophyton bullosum, Trichophyton simii (Trichophyton genus), Microsporum audouinii, and Trichophyton tonsurans (Microsporum and Trichophyton genus, respectively); however, only some strains of Trichophyton eriotrephon were found to be invariant having three genotypes. Trichophyton tonsurans exhibited most intra-species variability. The characterization and construction of a phylogenetic tree of 28S rDNA gene on dermatophyte species provide a bedrock of an additional finding of connections between species. However, 28S rRNA capture provides a novel method of effective and sensitive detection of dermatophytes lodged in human skin scale. We report for the first time the emergence of T. eriotrephon, T. bullosum, T. simii, T. benhamiae, and Ctenomyces serratus dermatophytes from Tinea capitis in Nigeria.

Dermatophytes cause superficial fungal infections that pose public health problem to man and animals. Long term treatment with antifungal agents is required to control these infections. Various parts of Azadirachta indica are claimed to have significant medicinal value in treatment of infections especially ringworm. To determine the antifungal activity of the oil and fractions against dermatophytes isolated from clinical cases. Seeds of A. indica were collected, dried, grinded and extracted with hexane using soxhlet and cold maceration. Physicochemical analysis of the oil was carried out as described by Association of Official Analytical Chemists methods (AOAC, 1990). Fractionation of the oil was subjected using column chromatography and Infra-Red (I.R) analysis using spectrophotometer. Swab samples were collected from pupils in Kudan, Kaduna State with suspected cases of Tinea corporis (ringworm). The causative fungal organisms were isolated and identified by routine mycological and biochemical procedures. The antifungal activities of the extracts were evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) and diameter zones of inhibition. Hexane extract from soxhlet method of extraction showed higher diameter zone of inhibition against isolated dermatophytes (Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton rubrum and Microsporum canis), ranging from 14.33-17.33 mm. The MIC and MFC values of the extract range from 3.13 to > 50% v/v and 50 to >50%v/v respectively. The oils and fractions recorded class of compounds which include alkyl, alkanes, alkenes, aliphatic esters, ketone, carboxylic acid, amide and alkyl halide. Hexane extract of seed of A. indica extracted by soxhlet and cold maceration methods had inhibitory activities against the causative agents of T. corporis (ringworm) when tested.

Essential oil (EO) may confer a possible panacea to fight against multidrug-resistant dermatophytes. This study aims at determining the antidermatophytic activity of EO from the fruit peel of Nigerian Citrus senensis (L.) Osbeck against multidrug-resistant (MDR) tinea capitis dermatophytes and their possible chemical composition. The EO was reaped by hydro-distillation and the chemical composition was investigated using gas chromatography/ mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The antidermatophytic activity was evaluated using the agar diffusion method against four dermatophyte strains (Two MDR dermatophytes, one reference strain, and one susceptible). The minimum inhibitory and fungicidal concentrations (MIC/MFC) were determined by agar dilution methods. The test results revealed EO to be active against all strains. The EO subjected to boiling temperature (100 0 C) had an increased amount of α-terpineol, β-Linalool, Carveol, Carvone, and other imaginative compounds such as 1-Octanol (Heptyl carbinols) with increased antidermatophytic activity. Our study suggests that this EO could be used clinically to treat or prevent dermatophytic infections associated with multidrug-resistant strains.

Background:The fungal infection of tinea capitis is a common mycosis that affects the scalp superficially, especially in children. Oral treatment of this infection remains the preferred treatment process in clinical dermatology. Many antifungals available for dermatophyte treatment lead to treatment failure. Determination of antifungal susceptibility of dermatophytes in-vitro has been reported to be important to curb dermatophyte infections using effective antifungal drugs. The aim of this study was to investigate and determine in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of amphotericin B, ketoconazole, griseofulvin, terbinafine, and fluconazole against dermatophyte clinical isolates using agar dilution method. Materials and Methods: In this study, in vitro susceptibilities of 32 dermatophyte clinical isolates collected from primary school pupils in Sokoto metropolis were investigated to five antifungals (fluconazole, terbinafine, ketoconzole, amphotericin B, and griseofulvin) using the CLSI agar dilution method. Findings: The results obtained revealed that griseofulvin and terbinafine were the most potent antifungal agents among those tested. Conclusion: Agar dilution method could be an alternative method for MIC-determination of antifungal drugs against dermatophyte species, since it is cost effective and affordable with consistent results, especially in developing countries.