White piedra
Encyclopedia
White piedra is a mycosis
of the hair caused by several species
of fungi in the genus
Trichosporon
. It is characterized by soft nodules composed of yeast cells
and arthroconidia that encompass hair shafts.
medication.
Mycosis
A mycosis is a fungal infection of animals, including humans. Mycoses are common, and a variety of environmental and physiological conditions can contribute to the development of fungal diseases...
of the hair caused by several species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of fungi in the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Trichosporon
Trichosporon
Trichosporon is a genus of anamorphic fungi in the family Trichosporonaceae. All species of Trichosporon are yeasts with no known teleomorphs . Most are typically isolated from soil, but several species occur as a natural part of the skin microbiota of humans and other animals...
. It is characterized by soft nodules composed of yeast cells
Yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described estimated to be only 1% of all fungal species. Most reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding...
and arthroconidia that encompass hair shafts.
Treatment
One approach involves shaving the affected areas. Another approach involves the use of antifungalAntifungal
* Antifungal medication, a medication used to treat fungal infection s such as athlete's foot , ringworm, candidiasis, etc.* Antifungal protein, a protein family* an adjective referring to a fungicide compound...
medication.
External links
- Overview at University of AdelaideUniversity of AdelaideThe University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...