Trichophyton indotineae:
Over 30 dermatologists have proposed renaming a skin-disease causing fungus, Trichophyton indotineae – named after India – arguing that it has been reported from more than 40 nations without any confirmation of India being the country of origin.
- Trichophyton indotineae is a fungal pathogen that can cause difficult-to-treat skin infections that are widely reported from India.
- The fungus was named after India in 2020 by a Japanese group on the basis of two isolates from India and Nepal, following an academic practice of identifying a new pathogen after the country where it was first sighted.
- The fungus has been documented in over 40 countries.
- It belongs to the dermatophyte group. Dermatophytosis is the superficial infection of the skin, hair, and nails by dermatophyte fungi.
- Indotineaecauses inflammatory and itchy dermatophytosis affecting the groins, gluteal region, trunk, and face.
- Patients of all ages and genders are affected.
- It spreads through direct skin contact and contaminated objects (e.g., towels, clothing).
- It is resistant against the first-line antifungal agent
