Lophophyton

Lophophyton gallinae

Synonymy:
Microsporum gallinae

A recent  taxonomic revision of the dermatophytes has reduced the genus Lophophyton to a single species (de Hoog et al. 2017).  

Lophophyton gallinae is a zoophilic fungus causing fowl favus in chickens and other fowl, affecting the comb and wattles producing “white comb” lesions. A rare cause of tinea in humans. Invaded hairs show a sparse ectothrix infection but do not fluoresce under Wood’s ultra-violet light.

RG-2 organism.

Morphological description:
Colonies are flat with a suede-like texture and are white with a pinkish tinge in colour. Some cultures show radial folding. An orange-pink “strawberry” reverse pigment is usually present. Macroconidia, when present, are usually five to six celled, thin to thick-walled, slightly echinulate, cylindrical to clavate with a narrow base and blunt tip, 15-60 x 6-10 µm. Microconidia are ovoidal to pyriform in shape.

Key features:
Macroconidial morphology, culture characteristics and clinical lesions in chickens.

Molecular identification:
ITS sequencing is recommended.

References:
Rebell and Taplin (1970), Rippon (1988), Gräser et al. (2008), Cafarchia et al. (2013), de Hoog et al. (2015, 2016).