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The causative agent of rubrophytosis (Trichophyton rubrum)
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 08.07.2025
Rubromycosis (rubrophytosis) is a common chronic mycosis of the skin of the trunk and extremities, nails and vellus hair, caused by the fungus Trichophyton rubrum.
Infection occurs through contact with a sick person, a carrier, or through shoes and objects from sick people. In clearly delineated areas of skin lesions, small pink lesions, blisters, and crusts appear. Threads of branching septate mycelium, and less often arthrospores, are found in the scales.
In a pure culture of Trichophyton rubrum, septate thin branched threads of mycelium, clusters of pear-shaped, oval microconidia and elongated macroconidia (6x50 µm) are visible. As the fungal culture ages, chlamydospores appear.