Isolation of dermatophytes and related keratinophilic fungi from the two public parks in Ahvaz

Fungi found in soil and the variation and prevalence in each area depends onenvironmental and nutritional conditions. Considering the importance of soil intransmission of diseases, this study aims at assessing the frequency of dermatophytesand related keratinophilic fungi, potentially pathogenic fungi in various samplescollected from two public parks in Ahvaz, SW Iran. Five hundred samples werecollected from different parts of the Zoo and Laleh parks in Ahvaz. The fungal flora wasanalyzed in different samples for the presence of dermatophytes and keratinophilicfungi by hair baiting technique. Specimens were contained soil, carpet pad techniquefrom the walls of the cages, and animals’ residues. The samples were cultured onSabouraud''s dextrose agar, containing chloramphenicol and cyclohexamide, andincubated at 25-27οC for 4-5 weeks aerobically. Isolates were identified by colonymorphology, slide cultures, and differentiation tests. Most of the isolated dermatophyteswere collected from the soil of the Zoo park. The most common keratinophilic funguswas Chrysosporium (5). Other species were Trichophyton mentagrophytes (3), T.verrucosum (2), T. schoenleinii (1) and M. gypseum (1). The results demonstrated thatdermatophytes and related keratinophilic fungi of Ahvaz is somewhat different fromthat in other parts of Iran. This may be due to the different climatic conditionsprevailing. Considering, the fact that most of the potential pathogenic fungi wereisolated from the Zoo park, where there are wilds and domestic animals.