Microsporum

Gruby, 1843

The dermatophyte genus Microsporum includes filamentous fungi that belong to the Fungi imperfecti. They are of particular clinical importance as pathogens of microsporia. The macroconidia are thin- to thick-walled, egg- to spindle-shaped, rough and divided into many chambers by up to 15 septa. They sit individually on the hyphae. Microconidia are always present.

The genus Microsporum formerly included:

• anthrophile (M. andouinii, M.ferrugineum)
• zoophile (M. canis)
• geophilic (M. gypseum, M. fulvum, M. persicolor, M. praecox)

species.

Recently the genus "Microsporum" has been restricted to 3 species:

• M. audouinii
• M. canis
• M. ferrugineum.

The remaining geophilic and zoophilic species were assigned to the genera "Lophophyton", "Arthroderma", "Nannizzia" and "Paraphyton" (de Hoog et al. 2017).

1. de Hoog GS et al (2017) Toward a Novel Multilocus Phylogenetic Taxonomy for the Dermatophytes. Mycopathologia 182:5-31.
2. Zink A et al (2014) Outbreak of Microsporum audouinii in Munich--the return of infectious fungi in Germany. Mycoses 57:765-770.