WHITE PIEDRA AND TRICHOSPORON SPECIES IN EQUATORIAL AFRICA .1. HISTORY AND CLINICAL ASPECTS - AN ANALYSIS OF 449 SUPERFICIAL INGUINAL SPECIMENS

White piedra is a hair infection characterized by nodules composed of fungal elements which envelop the hair shaft. Classically, this infect ion was considered to be produced by an asexual yeast-like fungus, Tri chosporon beigelii. At present, in accordance with studies carried out previously, this species is subdivided into six newly defined distinc t species (T. asahii, T. ovoides, T. inkin, T. mucoides, T. asteroides and T. cutaneum), all belonging to the class Basidiomycetes. Although widespread, white piedra has not previously been described in tropica l regions of Africa. The present study, carried out in Libreville (Gab on), an equatorial region of Africa, shows that the incidence of this infection is quite high (18% of 449 inguinal specimens) in the female population aged 15-60 years, with a predominance in young patients (15 -44 years). The relationship between the clinical manifestations and t he specific hair lesions is also detailed. Three species belonging to the genus Trichosporon were identified: T. mucoides, T. asahii and T. inkin.