Existence of ornamentations on macroconidia and hyphae of Epidermophyton floccosum.

The surface features of cell walls of several recent clinical isolates of Epidermophyton floccosum were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Macroconidia from each of our isolates displayed excrescences on the wall which were similar in their location and in their substructural appearance. We believe these irregularities sufficiently developed to regard them as true wall ornamentations. Comparisons were made with wall features of the macroconidia of Microsporum persicolor. In some cases, our Epidermophyton isolates possessed warty as well as secondary smooth spiral hyphae. The demonstration of these structures in recent isolates might imply that some sexual activity persists so that discovery of a teleomorph(s) for the genus Epidermophyton may yet be forthcoming.