INSTITUTUL NAÅ¢IONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE - ICECHIM

4 - Protection and Environmental Engineering - PIN VITRO BIODEGRADATION OF KERATIN BY DERMATOPHYTESMariana CĂLIN CONSTANTIN, Iuliana RĂUT, Gelu VASILESCU,Melania Liliana ARSENE, Luiza JECUNational Research and Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry-ICECHIM,Spl. Independentei 202, Bucharest, RomaniaDermatophytosis is a superficial infection of the keratinized tissues including nails/claws, hairand stratum corneum of the skin 1 . The fungi that cause these infections are known asdermatophytes, that include the imperfect fungi of the genera Microsporum, Epidermophytonand Trichophyton, classified based on the formation and morphology of their conidia(structures of asexual reproduction) 2 . These microorganisms are divided on the hostpreference and natural habitat into zoophilic (animals), geophilic (soils) or anthropophilic(humans), respectively. Their activity is based on the ability to obtain nutrients fromcolonized keratinize materials, usually nonliving ones. The term “keratinophilic fungi” is usedfor all fungi for which keratinized substrates are the natural habitat 3 . Keratinophilic fungi areecologically important group as they play a significant role in the natural degradation ofkeratin substrate and residues 4 .Since they have been found to be the agents responsible for human mycoses and since theyoccur in abundance in sewage sludge and soil, studies on fungal incidence are of hygienic,epidemiological and ecological significance. In present work, the keratinolytic activity ofseveral dermatophytes as Trichophyton and Microsporum were tested using human hair as thesubstrate. In vitro tests were performed in Petri plates on yeast extract medium. The strainsactivity was considered by culture morphological study and microscopic analysis ofdeveloped colonies. Among the tested strains, Microsporum canis, Microsporum canis var.distortum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes, var. mentagrophytes presented the ability tostick human hair. Further researches will be continued to evaluate the antifungal activity ofvegetal extracts against dermatophytes causing hair deterioration.References1.Peres NTA, Maranhão FCA, Rossi A, Martinez-Rossi NM, 2010, Dermatophytes: host-pathogen interactionand antifungal resistance, An Bras Dermatol.;85, p. 657-67.2. Wawrzkiewicz K, Wolski T, Lobarzewski J, 1991, Screening of the keratinolytic activity of dermatophytes invitro, Mycopathologia, 114, p. 1-8.3. Kunert, J, 2000, Physiology of keratinophilic fungi, Revista Iberoamericana de Micología (Elsevier), 76-85.4. Kanagaraj, J, Velappan, KC, Chandra NK, Sadulla S, 2006, Solid astes generation in the leather industry andits utilization for cleaner environment, J. Sci. Ind. Res., 65, 541-548.