CONCURRENT, COMBINED AND CONSECUTIVE FUNGOUS INFECTIONS OF THE SKIN

Abstract

In a prior communication¹ we have stressed the close relation which usually exists between the clinical appearance of a superficial fungous eruption and the species of infecting micro-organism responsible for it. Increased experience tends to corroborate this phase of practical mycology. We have found that repeated cultures have often resulted in finding of a suspected fungus when the first attempt was barren of results or productive of only nonpathogenic strains of fungi. Determinative procedures available for investigating suspected fungous infections of the skin are sometimes inadequate to enable one to decide whether the fungus found on culture is primarily causative or a secondary invader. The mere finding of certain fungi which are of known pathogenic titer is usually considered sufficient evidence of pathogenicity. However, one may be in error if one trusts one's ability to obtain pathogenic material in any given case unless there is opportunity for prolonged study