ENZYMES CHARACTERISTICS OF TRICHOPHYTON SPECIES ISOLATED FROM PATIENTS ATTENDING HUE UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY HOSPITAL

Abstract: Background: Trichophyton is the common genus in dermatophytes fungi in the world. These fungi secreted virulence enzymes that help them take nutrition from the host. Objectives: 1. To determinate enzymes secretion ability of Trichophyton species isolated from patients, including lipase, phospholipase, and protease. 2. To evaluate the correlation between enzyme secretion ability and dermatomycoses clinical forms. Material and methods: Trichophyton species were isolated from the cultivation samples of dermatophytosis patients. Enzyme production experiments were checked by cultivating fungi into suitable solid agar media. Results: The prevalence of Trichophyton spp. producing protease, lipase, and phospholipase were 96.1%%, 86.2%, and 21.6%, respectively. There were 78.4% of fungal strains that produced both lipase and protease, and 17.6% of fungal strains produced three enzymes. The ability to produce protease of T. rubrum was higher than T. mentagrophytes, and there was no statistically significant difference between lipase and phospholipase activities of these two fungal species. There was no difference between the fungal enzymatic activities and dermatophytosis clinical forms. Conclusion: Trichophyton species isolated from patients attending Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital produced more protease and lipase than phospholipase. T. rubrum strains showed higher ability protease produce than T. mentagrophytes. Key words: dermatophytes, Trichophyton spp., fungal enzyme