Dermal Pathology of Superficial Fungus Infections

Immunology of Surface Fungi Dermatophytes

“…Underlying disease such as Cushing's syndrome, or adrenal hypercorticism (Canizares et al, 1959;Nelson and McNiece, 1959;Pillsbury and Jacobson, 1955), malignant lymphoma (Levene, 1973;Lewis et al, 1953), rheumatoid arthritis (Blank and Smith, 1960), or diabetes (Mandel, 1960), as well as treatment with immunosuppressive agents (Canizares et al, 1959;Lavalle, 1975;Burgoon et al, 1974;Marks and Dawber, 1972;Goss et al, 1963), has been associated with widespread intractable infections. Graham (1972) suggested that T. rubrum should also be considered as an opportunistic organism which takes advantage of a wide spectrum of systemic illnesses, in some instances masking the underlying disease that has altered the host-parasite relationship.…”

“…Abroad, T. violaceum is a common cause of tinea capitis and T. schoenleinii is the cause of chronic favis of both the scalp and smooth skin. Different patterns of hair invasion are seen with each of these species (Graham, 1972).…”