White Piedra Flashcards
White piedra is
an infection of the hair caused by yeast-like organism Trichosporon beigelli
The fungus can be grown on
SDA and other media containing cycloheximide
On SDA, it forms
green-colored colonies, which subsequently become yellowish gray and wrinkled
Microscopic examination of the colony shows
septate hyphae that break rapidly to form arthroconidia
The latter subsequently become
round and develop to blastoconidia
White piedra is commonly found in
South America, Central and Eastern Europe, and Japan
Which parts are commonly affected in white piedra.
The hair of scalp, moustache, and beard
What characterizes the condition
The development of a soft, pasty, cream-colored growth along infected hair shaft
The initial growth of Trichosporon beigelli occurs beneath the epidermis of hair.
beneath the epidermis of hair
The infected hair shaft consists of
mycelium that rapidly fragments to arthroconidia
Laboratory diagnosis of the condition is made by
demonstration of fragmented hyphae that develop into arthroconidia or produce blastoconidia in 10% KOH mount of hair
What confirms the diagnosis
Culture of the fungus from clinical specimen confirms the diagnosis
