title: Morphological and biochemical characterization of the aetiological agents of white piedra.
abstract: The Trichosporon genus is constituted by many species, of which Trichosporon ovoides and Trichosporon inkin are the causative agents of white piedra. They can cause nodules in genital hair or on the scalp. At present, Brazilian laboratory routines generally do not include the identification of the species of Trichosporon genus, which, although morphologically and physiologically distinct, present many similarities, making the identification difficult. The aim of this study was to identify the aetiological agents at the species level of white piedra from clinical specimens. Therefore, both the macro and micro morphology were studied, and physiological tests were performed. Trichosporon spp. was isolated from 10 clinical samples; T. ovoides was predominant, as it was found in seven samples, while T. inkin was identified just in two samples. One isolate could not be identified at the species level. T. inkin was identified for the first time as a white piedra agent in the hair shaft on child under the age of 10.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Micologia, Instituto Biomédico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia, Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brasil. regmag27@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Alba Regina
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.forename: Silvia Susana Bona de
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Mondino
authors.forename: Manuela da
authors.initials: Md
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Marilia Martins
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D010854:Piedra / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012536:Scalp Dermatoses / Q000382:microbiology*; D014250:Trichosporon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology