Trichophyton mentagrophytes


Trichophyton mentagrophytes is a species in the fungal genus Trichophyton. It is one of three common fungi which cause ringworm in companion animals. It is also the second-most commonly isolated fungus causing tinea infections in humans, and the most common or one of the most common fungi that cause zoonotic skin disease. Along with closely related T. interdigitale, it has been traditionally treated as a part of polyphyletic morphological assemblage, named "T. mentagrophytes sensu lato". From 1999 to 2017 the two species have been collectively referred to as T. interdigitale, while the name "T. mentagrophytes" has been used for current T. quinckeanum. Trichophyton interdigitale seems to be strictly anthropophilic, and is associated with foot and nail infections. Trichophyton mentagrophytes is being frequently isolated from dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and other rodents, though at least some genetic variants possess the potential of human-to-human transmission, e.g. Type VII and Type VIII. Particular genetic variants of the fungus have distinct geographic ranges.