Tinea corporis intrafamilial infection in pets due to Microsporum canis.

Microsporum canis, one of the most widespread dermatophytes worldwide, is a zoonotic microorganism that transmits infection from reservoirs such as cats and dogs to humans. This microorganism is associated with Tinea corporis and other clinical manifestations; however, few studies have used genetic surveillance to determine and characterize the process of zoonotic transmission. In this study, we show a clear example of zoonotic transmission from a cat to an intrafamilial environment, where it caused Tinea corporis by infection with M. canis. Molecular characterization using the b-tubulin gene and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA analysis made it possible to determine that the six isolates of M. canis obtained in this study belonged to the same genetic variant or clone responsible for reservoir-reservoir or reservoir-human transmission.

Three-gene phylogeny of the genus Arthroderma: Basis for future taxonomic studies.

Arthroderma is the most diverse genus among dermatophytes encompassing species occurring in soil, caves, animal burrows, clinical material and other environments. In this study, we collected ex-type, reference and authentic strains of all currently accepted Arthroderma species and generated sequences of three highly variable loci (ITS rDNA, ß-tubulin, and translation elongation factor 1-α). The number of accepted species was expanded to 27. One novel species, A. melbournense (ex-type strain CCF 6162T = CBS 145858T), is described. This species was isolated from toenail dust collected by a podiatrist in Melbourne, during an epidemiological study of four geographical regions of Eastern Australia. Trichophyton terrestre, Chrysosporium magnisporum, and Chrysosporium oceanitis are transferred to Arthroderma. Typification is provided for T. terrestre that is not conspecific with any of the supposed biological species from the former T. terrestre complex, that is, A. insingulare, A. lenticulare and A. quadrifidum. A multi-gene phylogeny and reference sequences provided in this study should serve as a basis for future phylogenetic studies and facilitate species identification in practice. LAY ABSTRACT: The genus Arthroderma encompasses geophilic dermatophyte species that infrequently cause human and animal superficial infections. Reference sequences from three genetic loci were generated for all currently accepted Arthroderma species and phylogeny was constructed. Several taxonomic novelties are introduced. The newly provided data will facilitate species identification and future taxonomic studies.

Tinea capitis in school children from Mauritania: A comparative study between urban and rural areas.

INTRODUCTION: In Mauritania, only an investigation carried out 26 years ago allows to report epidemiological findings about tinea capitis in Nouakchott. The objective of this study was to reactualize the tinea capitis epidemiological, clinical and mycological profile in school children and to compare this profile in urban and rural area. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All subscribed students in targeted schools and present during the investigation were examined clinically before samples collection. Mycological diagnosis was made by direct examination and culture in Sabouraud Dextrose Agar with chloramphenicol and supplemented with cycloheximide. The results were considered positive when culture with the presence of dermatophytes was obtained. RESULTS: Prevalence of tinea capitis among school children was 10.50% and it was more important in rural area (12.21%) than in urban area (9.52%). The age group ranged between 6 and 8 years was the most affected (13.58%). According to the gender, male (11.46%) were more affected than female (9.62%). Trichophytic tinea were predominant and Trichophyton soudanense was more isolated followed by Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton schoenleinii and Microsporum audouinii.

[Microsporum ferrugineum-an anthropophilic dermatophyte in Germany : Case report and review of the literature]. / Microsporum ferrugineum ­ ein anthropophiler Dermatophyt in Deutschland : Patientenbeschreibung und Übersicht über die Literatur.

Three boys from the same city, treated by the same dermatologist, developed tinea capitis. Two of them, 4 and 8 years old, underwent mycological diagnostic workup. However, no pathogens familiar in this country, such as Microsporum (M.) canis or Trichophyton (T.) tonsurans, were isolated, but instead that of a dermatophyte that has not been found in Germany for decades. Both dermatophyte isolates showed white-beige-brownish colonies with a flat, radiating edge and a central, verrucous curvature. The sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rDNA confirmed the suspicion of M. ferrugineum already expressed based on the morphological picture. The anthropophilic dermatophyte occurs in the Middle East, Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa and is considered to be the cause of tinea capitis or tinea corporis in children and adolescents. In 2016, M. ferrugineum has again been isolated in Germany, probably as a result of migration movements. The fungus is strikingly isolated to martial arts, especially wrestlers. It mainly affects children and adolescents, some with a Russian-German background. The anthropophilic dermatophyte is transmitted directly from person to person, especially in the case of tinea capitis. An indirect transmission, for example, via mats in martial arts is likely.

Species distribution of the main aetiologic agents causing skin dermatophytosis in Colombian patients: A 23-year experience at a Mycological Reference Center.

BACKGROUND: Dermatophytosis is one of the most frequent superficial mycoses in the world. MAIN AIM: To describe the cases of skin dermatophytosis and its main aetiologic agents in patients referred to a Mycological Reference Laboratory in Medellín, Colombia. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out with records of patients referred between 1994 and 2016 to the Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB), Medellín-Colombia, because of clinical suspicion of skin dermatophytosis. RESULTS: Of a total of 5628 clinical records of patients with suspicion of skin dermatophytosis analysed, 2780 (49.4%) had a proven or probable dermatophytosis diagnosis, 2774 cultures were performed, and aetiologic agents were isolated in 2576 samples (92.9%). The most frequently isolated aetiologic agents were Trichophyton rubrum (44.3%), followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex (33.3%), Epidermophyton floccosum (12.4%), Nannizzia gypseum complex (5.7%, formerly Microsporum gypseum), Microsporum canis (3.5%) and Trichophyton tonsurans (0.8%). The most frequent clinical forms were tinea pedis (72.7%) and tinea corporis (12.7%). In addition, a group of patients (0.9%) developed mixed infections by two dermatophyte agents and another (4.1%) developed infections in more than one anatomical site. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study are coherent with previous reports where T rubrum and T mentagrophytes complex were the main causative agents of dermatophytosis. However, the increased incidence of N gypsea complex over M canis is worth highlighting.

Updating the Taxonomy of Dermatophytes of the BCCM/IHEM Collection According to the New Standard: A Phylogenetic Approach.

Recent taxonomical revisions based on multilocus gene sequencing have provided some clarifications to dermatophyte (Arthrodermataceae) family tree. These changes promoted us to investigate the impact of the changed nomenclature of the dermatophyte strains in the BCCM/IHEM fungal collection, which contains strains of all dermatophyte genera except for Ctenomyces. For 688 strains from this collection, both internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and partial ß-tubulin (BT) sequences were aligned and a multilocus phylogenetic tree was constructed. The ITS + BT phylogentic tree was able to distinguish the genera Arthroderma, Lophophyton, Microsporum, Paraphyton, Nannizzia and Trichophyton with high certainty. Epidermophyton, which is widely considered as a well-defined genus with E. floccosum as the only representative, fell within the Nannizzia clade, whereas the phylogenetic analysis, based on the ITS region alone, differentiates Epidermophyton from Nannizzia as a separate genus. Re-identification and reclassification of many strains in the collection have had a profound impact on the composition of the BCCM/IHEM dermatophyte collection. The biggest change is the decline of prevalence of Arthroderma strains; starting with 103 strains, only 22 strains remain in the genus after reassessment. Most Arthroderma strains were reclassified into Trichophyton, with A. benhamiae and A. vanbreuseghemii leaving the genus. The amount of Microsporum strains also dropped significantly with most of these strains being reclassified into the genera Paraphyton and Nannizzia.

Molecular and Phenotypic Characterization of Nannizzia (Arthrodermataceae).

Phylogenetic studies of the family Arthrodermataceae have revealed seven monophyletic dermatophyte clades representing the genera Trichophyton, Epidermophyton, Nannizzia, Lophophyton, Paraphyton, Microsporum, and Arthroderma. Members of the genus Nannizzia are geo- or zoophiles that occasionally infect humans. With the newly proposed taxonomy, the genus Nannizzia comprises thirteen species, i.e., Nannizzia aenigmatica, N. corniculata, N. duboisii, N. fulva, N. graeserae, N. gypsea, N. nana, N. incurvata, N. perplicata, N. persicolor, N. praecox, and two novel species. Nannizzia polymorpha sp. nov. was isolated from a skin lesion of a patient from French Guiana. For the strain originally described as Microsporum racemosum by Borelli in 1965, we proposed Nannizzia lorica nom. nov. The species are fully characterized with five sequenced loci (ITS, LSU, TUB2, RP 60S L1 and TEF3), combined with morphology of the asexual form and physiological features. A key to the species based on phenotypic and physiological characters is provided.

[Do the new molecular assays-microarray and realtime polymerase chain reaction-for dermatophyte detection keep what they promise?] / Halten die neuen molekularen Teste ­ Microarray und Realtime-Polymerasekettenreaktion ­ zum Dermatophytennachweis das, was sie versprechen?

In this study, a novel real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (DermaGenius®2.0, PathoNostics BV, Maastricht, The Netherlands) and a recently developed microarray test (EUROArray Dermatomycosis, Euroimmun, Lübeck, Germany) were evaluated regarding their diagnostic specificity to identify dermatophyte DNA. The tests were compared to conventional methods and sequencing. The microarray Dermatomycosis test allows the detection of 50 dermatophytes and definitive identification of 23 dermatophyte species, 6 yeasts and moulds combined in one test. In comparison, real-time PCR is able to identify 11 dermatophytes and one yeast at the species level. Using the EUROArray, 22 out of 24 dermatophyte species were correctly identified. Using real-time PCR, 9 out of the 11 different dermatophytes included in the test kit were correctly identified. Both molecular tests for detection and differentiation of dermatophytes are useful tools for daily clinical practice. The real-time PCR test does not detect as many species, and specificity is slightly lower. However, real-time PCR is a very fast and easy to perform test, especially since no post-PCR step is necessary. Real-time PCR detects the most frequent dermatophytes like T. rubrum, T. interdigitale, and M. canis without any problems. The EUROArray is more elaborate to perform in the lab, due to the hybridization step. However, the EUROArray shows higher specificity and can detect a much broader range of causative agents, including rare species, in dermatomycology.

[Tinea capitis-diagnostic measures in an outbreak situation : Case report and review of the literature]. / Tinea capitis ­ diagnostische Maßnahmen in der Ausbruchssituation : Fallbericht und Literaturübersicht.

In a preschool a long-lasting outbreak of Trichophyton (T.) tonsurans tinea capitis was stopped by a concurrent screening of all persons at-risk (N = 264) with the hairbrush technique and a therapy based on clinical picture as well as on the quantitative results of the culture. In addition to the 5 symptomatic patients 10 asymptomatic carriers undetected until now were especially important as vectors. With the rising incidence of T. tonsurans and T. violaceum and the return of Microsporum (M.) audouinii in central Europe such outbreaks are likely to occur more frequently. According to the literature an early and comprehensive screening of the entire at-risk population, a combined antimycotic therapy of the symptomatic and at least a topical therapy of the asymptomatic as well as measures of decontamination are important conditions for successful outbreak management. In our hands the hairbrush technique is a reliable, painless and easy-to-perform screening method which also allows a quantification of fungal load.

Padronização de multiplex PCR para detecção de dermatófitos em pelos e crostas de cães e gatos / Standardization of a PCR multiplex for the detection of dermatophytes in dogs and cats fur and crusts

Objetivou-se padronizar uma reação do tipo multiplex PCR (mPCR) para detectar Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum e o complexo Trichophyton mentagrophytes em amostras de pelos e/ou crostas de cães e gatos. 250 amostras de pelos e/ou crostas de cães e gatos foram analisadas por meio de exame direto e cultura, o DNA das mesmas foi extraído para mPCR. Primers foram desenhados e como controle positivo da reação utilizou-se o DNA extraído de colônias de M. canis (URM 6273), M. gypseum (URM 6921) e T. mentagrophytes (URM 6211), provenientes da Coleção de Culturas (Micoteca URM), Departamento de Micologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (CCB/UFPE). Como controles negativos de reação, utilizou-se água destilada esterilizada e DNA extraído de Alternaria sp. para verificar a especificidade dos primers. Do total de amostras analisadas, 15 (6%) foram identificadas, em cultura, como dermatófitos, e destas, 10 foram M. canis, três M. gypseum e dois T. mentagrophytes (complexo). Destas 15 amostras positivas, 11 (73,3%) foram detectadas por meio da mPCR. Além destas, seis outras, negativas em cultura, foram identificadas como M. gypseum. Verificou-se uma boa concordância entre os resultados da cultura e mPCR (Kappa: 0,66). O protocolo padronizado neste estudo pode ser utilizado como um método de triagem, por apresentar uma sensibilidade maior que a da cultura, usado paralelamente aos exames de rotina, permitindo um diagnóstico em menor tempo.(AU)

The aim of this study was to standardize a multiplex PCR (mPCR) reaction to detect Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum and the Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex in dog and cat fur and/or crusts. 250 fur and/or crusts samples from dogs and cats were analyzed by direct examination and culture, DNA from them was extracted for mPCR. Primers were designed and the DNA extracted from colonies of M. canis (URM 6273), M. gypseum (URM 6921) and T. mentagrophytes (URM 6211) from the Collection of Cultures - URM Micoteca - Department of Mycology, Biological Sciences Center of the Federal University of Pernambuco (CCB / UFPE). As negative controls, sterile distilled water and DNA extracted from Alternaria sp., were used to verify the specificity of the primers. Of the total samples analyzed, 15 (6%) were identified in culture as dermatophytes, and of these, 10 were M. canis, three M. gypseum and two T. mentagrophytes (complex). Of these 15 positive samples, 11 (73.3%) were detected by mPCR. Besides these, six others, negative in culture, were identified as M. gypseum. There was good agreement between culture results and mPCR (Kappa: 0.66). The protocol standardized in this study can be used as a screening method, because it has a sensitivity greater than that of the culture, used in parallel to the routine exams, allowing a diagnosis in a shorter time.(AU)

Tinea corporis by Microsporum canis in mycological laboratory staff: Unexpected results of epidemiological investigation.

Microsporum canis is a zoophilic dermatophyte, which is very contagious, especially to cats and dogs. Asymptomatic animal carriers of M. canis are regarded a critical factor in the epidemiology of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiological origin of M. canis isolates using morphological traits in combination with molecular analysis. Identification of dermatophyte strains was carried out by correlating the clinical manifestation of the infection with a micro- and macroscopic examination. To confirm the species affiliation fully, molecular differentiation methods were used. A positive result of the culture examination was obtained from the samples with arthrospores in the direct analysis, that is, from a symptomatic cat and humans, and from a cat without any signs of infection. The microsatellite-primed PCR fingerprinting (MSP-PCR) electro-profiles were identical for all analysed strains. The melting profile-PCR (MP-PCR) electrophoregram indicated variability of the genomes of the strains. The search for the source of the infection indicated one cat that did not have any signs of dermatophytosis. PCR-fingerprinting techniques are useful tools for epidemiological investigation of the origin of dermatophyte infection. These methods can also be used in many cases for species identification of dermatophytes and clarification of the relationships among varieties of a species.

Genus-level identification of dermatophytes by MALDI-TOF MS after 2 days of colony growth.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is becoming a popular technology in clinical microbiology. It is a fast and highly specific method for the routine identification of micro-organisms. In this study, we evaluated the suitability of dermatophyte identification after only 2 days of colony growth using MALDI-TOF MS. Two protein extraction protocols were also evaluated consisting of either formic acid alone or of ethanol-formic acid-acetonitrile to achieve a complete protein extraction. Morphology-based techniques were used as the diagnostic standard methods and MALDI-TOF MS results were obtained using the manufacturer's spectral library. Using the formic acid protein extraction protocol after 2 days of colony growth, 70 and 46% of dermatophytes were properly identified at the genus and species-level respectively. The addition of ethanol-formic acid-acetonitrile extraction protocol increased the identification to 90 and 62%. Based on our observations, we propose a two-step workflow for the fast and reliable identification of dermatophytes after only 2 days of colony growth. This flow chart consists of a first direct deposition procedure with the addition of formic acid, followed by a complete protein extraction when dermatophyte identification is not successful. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: In this study, a two-step workflow for the identification of clinical dermatophytes using MALDI-TOF analysis and commercially available spectral library was developed. The workflow consists of an initial direct deposition of the sample on the MALDI plate and formic acid protein extraction at 2 days of growth culture; if dermatophyte identification is not successful, a complete protein extraction using ethanol-formic acid-acetonitrile is subsequently performed. Using this workflow, the correct isolate identifications increase up to 90%; of these, 27% are identified at the genus-level, providing sufficient information to start an antifungal treatment. The method here proposed represents a fast and useful approach to differentiate dermatophytes grown in culture.

PRP8 intein in dermatophytes: Evolution and species identification.

Dermatophytes are keratinophilic fungi belonging to the family Arthrodermataceae. Despite having a monophyletic origin, its systematics has always been complex and controversial. Sequencing of nuclear ribosomal ITS and D1/D2 rDNA has been proposed as an efficient tool for identifying species in this group of fungi, while multilocus analyses have been used for phylogenetic species recognition. However, the search for new markers, with sequence and size variation, which enable species identification in only one polymerase chain reaction (PCR) step, is very attractive. Inteins seems to fulfill these characteristics. They are self-splicing genetic elements present within housekeeping coding genes, such as PRP8, that codify the most important protein of the spliceosome. The PRP8 intein has been described for Microsporum canis in databases but has not been studied in dermatophytes in any other published work. Thus, our aim was to determine the potential of this intervening element for establishing phylogenetic relationships among dermatophytes and for identifying species. It was found that all studied species have a full-length PRP8 intein with a Homing Endonuclease belonging to the family LAGLIDADG. Phylogenetic analyses were consistent with other previous phylogenies, confirming Epidermophyton floccosum in the same clade of the Arthroderma gypseum complex, Microsporum audouinii close to M. canis, differentiating A. gypseum from Arthroderma incurvatum, and in addition, better defining the Trichophyton interdigitale and Trichophyton rubrum species grouping. Length polymorphism in the HE region enables identification of the most relevant Microsporum species by a simple PCR-electrophoresis assay. Intein PRP8 within dermatophytes is a powerful additional tool for identifying and systematizing dermatophytes.

Prof. Masao Ota.

Masao Ota was a Professor of Dermatology at Tokyo Imperial University. He is known to dermatologists around the world as the researcher who identified Nevus of Ota. He is also known for his research on Hansen's Disease. He was critical of the forced isolation policy and the sterilization law. He dreamt of developing chemotherapeutic measures and dedicated himself to cultivating Mycobacterium leprae. Among his accomplishments, those in the area of medical mycology are particularly remarkable. His discovery of Microsporum ferrugineum, his proposal for Trichophytia pompholyciformis, and his work on Ota-Langeron taxonomy based on the findings on fungus colonies are highly regarded and earned him the Ordre Royale de la Legion D'honneur. His accomplishments in the field of mycology are numerous; he has published a total of 39 research papers mostly in foreign languages. He was a leading world-class medical mycologist of his day. This review introduces some of his accomplishments and some episodes in his life.Furthermore, Masao Ota had a detailed knowledge of art and culture. Under the pseudonym of Kinoshita Mokutaro, he wrote poems, plays, and novels. He was also a painter. Particularly, his paintings in botany during his later years were published in the book "One Hundred Flower Sketches" after his death.Ota said, "The consequence of both science and art is global and humanitarian." He was one of the greatest men of culture in his time.

Human Infections with Microsporum gypseum Complex (Nannizzia gypsea) in Slovenia.

Microsporum gypseum complex is a group of geophillic dermatophytes with a worldwide distribution and is a rare cause of dermatomycoses in humans. The infection most commonly presents as tinea corporis, with some geographical and occupational variations. We studied M. gypseum complex infections in patients examined in the Mycological Laboratory of the Department of Dermatovenereology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, during the period 2000-2015. Diagnosis was confirmed by mycological examination. Skin scales were examined by direct microscopy and cultivated on Sabouraud glucose agar. A total of 226 patients were identified, representing 1.5% of all dermatophyte infections during the study period. Tinea corporis was diagnosed in majority of patients, followed by tinea manus, tinea faciei, tinea inguinalis and tinea pedis. Tinea capitis was observed in three and onychomycosis in two patients only. Infection was disseminated on different parts of the body in nine patients. In 39% of patients, infection was diagnosed in children younger than 9 years. Face and scalp infection was more often observed in children. The incidence was the highest during July and October. Contacts with soil and domestic animals were often reported. Data on the prevalence and clinical characteristics of M. gypseum complex infection in other countries are reviewed.

Distribution of Species of Dermatophyte Among Patients at a Dermatology Centre of Nghean Province, Vietnam, 2015-2016.

INTRODUCTION: Vietnam is a tropical country so fungal diseases including dermatophytosis may be prevalent, but epidemiological profiles of agents responsible for the infection have rarely been reported. OBJECTIVE: To find out the distribution of dermatophytes among patients living in a central province of Vietnam. METHODS: We examined dermatophyte infections in patients with lesions suspected of dermatophytosis referred to the Nghean provincial leprosy and dermatology centre from August 2015 to August 2016. The speciation of dermatophyte was performed by conventional and molecular approaches. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-six patients (90 males and 46 females) were included. Those aged from 11 to 30 contribute 59.1%. The most common agent found was Trichophyton rubrum (66.9%), followed by T. interdigitale (12.5%), T. tonsurans (9.6%), Microsporum incurvatum (8.1%), and the less frequent species were M. canis (2.2%) and T. violaceum (0.7%). Epidermophyton floccosum was not reported. T. rubrum were more common in men (74.4%) than in women (52.2%), while T. interdigitale and M. incurvatum were more common in women (21.7 and 15.2%) than in men (7.8 and 4.4%). Patients infected with Microsporum spp. had small-sized lesions for only 3 months, while those affected by Trichophyton spp. had large-sized lesions with longer duration. CONCLUSION: Trichophyton species are the predominant agents of infection in Nghean province, while Epidermophyton species is absent. Additional investigations are required to clarify the epidemiological profile of dermatophytes in Vietnam.

Molecular Epidemiology of Japanese Isolates of Microsporum canis Based on Multilocus Microsatellite Typing Fragment Analysis.

Intraspecies polymorphisms of Microsporum canis strains isolated from human lesions and domesticated cats in Japan were examined by multilocus microsatellite (MS) analysis. Using 9 MS markers, 70 strains were classified into 20 genotypes (genotypes A to T). Of the 9 MS markers used, 5 were considered useful for genotyping, whereas the other 4 were not. The combination of MS2, MS4, and MS7 had the highest resolution power for inter-strain differentiation. Genotype A, present in 15 strains (21.4%), was the most frequent, followed by genotypes H (10 strains, 14.3%), P (8 strains, 11.4%), I (6 strains, 8.6%), and S (6 strains, 8.6%). Eight individual genotypes were present in one strain each. Five episodes of infection of humans and cats living in the same household were analyzed, with strains in all 5 respective households showing the same genotypes. Analysis of geographical distribution established that both genotypes A and H were isolated from 6 prefectures of Honshu and Kyushu islands. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing intraspecies polymorphisms of M. canis isolated in Japan using molecular methods.

Remarkable Works and Cases in the History of Medical Mycology in Japan.

Several pathogenic fungi and cases related to Japanese medical mycologists were reviewed. Trichosporon inkin (as Sarcinomyces inkin) was reported as a pathogen of scrotal lesion by Oho in 1921, and Trichosporon asahii was isolated from generalized keratotic lesions in 1922 by Akagi in Japan. They were once included in Trichophyton beigelii, but then based on revision using DNA molecular technology, were returned to their original names.Microsporum ferrugineum was reported by Ota as a causative dermatophyte of tinea capitis in Japan and surrounding areas. It was once classified under the genus Trichophyton, but after the discovery of characteristic rough-walled macroconidia belonging to genus Microsporum, the fungus was again assigned to the original name.

Morpho-Molecular Characterization of Soil Inhabitant Dermatophytes from Ahvaz, Southwest of Iran, a High Occurrence of Microsporum fulvum.

Occurrence and diversity of dermatophyte mycoflora in 298 soil samples from Ahvaz, Southwest of Iran was investigated by using the hair-baiting technique. The samples were collected during spring (n = 210) and autumn (n = 88) of 2015, and the fungal isolates were identified based on the macro- and micro-morphology of colonies and with further ITS-rDNA RFLP and sequencing. Totally, 60 soil samples (20.1%) were positive for dermatophyte growth whose pH varied from 7.0 to 7.9. The highest (26.6%) and the lowest (14.3%) recovery rates were from the animal resorts and the streets soils samples, respectively. Seasonally, 16.7% of the spring samples and 28.4% of the autumn samples were positive. Based on molecular identification, three species of two genera were identified viz. M. fulvum (n = 57), M. canis (n = 2) and zoophilic Trichophyton interdigitale (n = 1). As a specific goal in the study, differentiation of the species in Microsporum gypseum complex was established by measuring the mean length and width of macroconidia in some strains of M. gypseum, M. fulvum and M. incurvatum. Mean size for macroconidia length and width in three species showed that M. gypseum and M. incurvatum can morphologically be differentiated from M. fulvum but not from each other. M. fulvum was the most abundant species isolated from the soils of Ahvaz; however, to comprehensively specify the distribution pattern of geophilic dermatophytes in the soils of this city further investigations are needed. Identification based on micro-morphometric is not effective for species distinction in M. gypseum complex, while molecular procedures based on sequencing of certain DNA regions are the most reliable and applicable strategies for this purpose.