Genomic Linkage Analysis of Iranian Clinical Isolates of Dermatophytes Fungi Using the RAPD-PCR

Dermatophytes are a group of keratinophilic fungi capable of invading keratinized tissues (skin, hair and nails). They cause dermatophytosis (commonly known as tinea or Ring worm) in human and animals. In this report, DNA similarities and genomic linkage of 40 dermatophytes strains was obtained from different universities, were studied by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD–PCR) using 11 random primers. The similarity of Microsporum genus with two other genera was 13%, and the similarity of Trichophyton with Epidermophyton was 20.8%. These results provide the basis for the rapid identification of dermatophytes at the genetic level, in additions to the existing laboratory methods.