An agar plate test is described to determine the growth inhibition of derma
tophytes by fungicides applied to fabrics. Trichophyton rubrum and Epidermo
phytom floccosum, two major causative agents of tinea pedis (athlete's foot
), were used as test organisms. The assay was capable of distinguishing bet
ween direct contact effects and diffusion of fungicide into the agar medium
, and could be used semi-quantitatively, The method included an essential s
terilization stage to prevent interference by micro-organisms contaminating
the test materials. Loss of fungicide efficacy due to the sterilization pr
ocedure required careful control.