Trichophyton tonsurans var. sulfureum subvar perforans in tinea gladiatorum

This is the first report on an isolation of Trichophyton tonsurans var.sulf ureum subvar.perforans in Germany. In our patient, the strain had caused ty pical tinea corporis, which was most likely acquired during a wrestling com petition. Based on the macroscopic and microscopic morphology and an the ph ysiologic properties occurring under various growth conditions, the identif ication of Trichophyton tonsurans and the particular characteristics of its var.sulfureum subvar.perforans are described. Partial 18S and 23S nuclear ribosomal RNA sequences and the internal transcribed spacer region I sequen ces of our strain were completely identical with those of a Trichophyton to nsurans reference strain. The epidemiology of Trichophyton tonsurans var.su lfureum subvar.perforans and a possible association of this variety with ti nea in wrestlers (tinea gladiatorum) have not yet been investigated.