Trichosporon spp. is characterized by the production of true hyphae and pseudohyphae, arthroconidia, and blastoconidia. There are six species of clinical significance: T. asahii, T. inkin, T. mucoides, T. cutaneum, T. ovoides, and T. asteroides. T. asahii, T. inkin, and T. mucoides are the most commonly isolated of the six species. (Note: The name T. beigelii was once used to represent all Trichosporon species.)
Trichosporon was initially recognized as the cause of white piedra, a superficial infection of the hair shaft of the scalp, face, axillary, or pubic regions, characterized by soft white, yellow, green, or beige nodules composed of hyaline septate hyphae and arthroconidia. The disease occurs worldwide but occurs more commonly in tropical or subtropical regions.
The top right image is of a hair shaft infected with Trichosporon. The bottom right image is a lactophenol cotton blue microscopic image of Trichosporon.
16. CDC/Hardin. Image #15695. Under a magnification of 200X, this photomicrograph reveals some of the pathologic morphology displayed by a primate hair shaft indicative of the disease known as white piedra, also known as trichosporosis, which was caused by the fungal organism, Trichosporon beigelii. Note the nodular deformation of the hair shaft, within which you’re able to see the presence of numerous fungal spores. PHIL public domain. Created 1965. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://phil.cdc.gov/Details.aspx?pid=15695 17. CDC/Georg. Image #3936. Under a magnification of 1200X, this photomicrograph of a tissue specimen harvested from a monkey, revealed some of the ultrastructural morphology exhibited by the fungal organism, Trichosporon cutaneum. PHIL public domain. Created 1964. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://phil.cdc.gov/Details.aspx?pid=3936
