Fungal Succession on Keratinous Hair and Nail Baits of Human Origin.

Mycologically, succession is more precisely the sequential occupation of the same site by thalli (normally mycelia) either of different fungi or of different associations of fungi. For the study of fungal succession on hair bait, different soil samples were collected from different habitats of Jaipur. The fungal growth isolated from soil samples was observed macroscopically and microscopically for the appearance of fungi at regular interval of 15 days for more than 6 months. Regular microscopic examination of fungi of soil samples baited with hair showed a successional colonization of non-keratinophilic and keratinophilic fungi. In the first phase of 30-day incubation, five non-keratinophilic fungi appeared. After 45 days, three non-keratinophilic fungi appeared together and three keratinophilic fungi viz. Geotrichum spp., Coccidiodes immitis and Aspergillus niger. In third phase of 60 days, growth of only one Fusarium spp. as non-keratinophilic fungi and four keratinophilic fungi viz. Geotrichum spp. Chrysosporium spp., Chrysosporium indicum and Microsporum gypseum was observed. During the study, Fusarium spp. showed persistent growth from initial phase to third phase of incubation. After 75 days, all the non-keratinophilic fungi disappeared fully and seven fungi viz. Geotrichum spp., Chrysosporium tropicum, Chrysosporium evolceanui, C. indicum, Trichophyton simii, Trichophyton terrestre and M. gypseum were observed as keratinophilic fungi. In the last phase of 90-day incubation, three keratinophilic fungi viz. Geotrichum spp., C. evolceanui and M. gypseum were also disappeared and four keratinophilic fungi like C. tropicum, T. simii, C. indicum and T. terrestre were found to be more persistent fungi.