DIVERSITY OF KERATINOPHILIC FUNGI IN SOILS OF WARM CLIMATES OF MEXICO

Abstract

Background. Soil constitutes the main reservoir of microorganisms, as well as the greatest source of biological diversity, a group of organisms abundant in the soil are fungi, which can perform various functions, and can exist in any type of environment, including warm ecosystems. The keratinophilic fungi group etiological agents of human dermatomycosis (dermatophytes and non-dermatophytes) that are established in the main causes of dermatological consultation in Mexico. Methodology. In order to determine the diversity of this group of fungi, soil sampling was carried out in the regions: Cerro de las Noas de Torreón, Coahuila (TC) and in the Francisco Villa community of Iguala de la Independencia, Guerrero (GUE); for the isolation and identification of keratinophilic microorganisms, the Vanbreuseghem keratin hook technique, microcultures and biochemical tests were used. On the other hand, soil pH was determined. The ecological determinations applied were the Shannon H index and the Sorensen CC index. Results. From the total of samples obtained (9) in TC 44% (4) was positive for dermatophytes, 88.9% (8) for non-dermatophytic keratinophilic fungi of which Chrysosporium was dominant and 55.6% (5) for actinomycetes, while, in GU of the 9 samples obtained in 55.6% (5) of these were identified dermatophytes, In 100% (9) non-dermatophytic keratinophilic fungi dominating Fusarium and Chaetomium and in 1% (1) actinomycetes. The pH value of soil samples on CT was 7.6 and 7.5 in GU. The Shannon diversity for TC H: 2.13 and for GU H: 2.49. The Sorensen index reported a CC: 68% similarity between the two communities. Conclusion. According to the results obtained it can be seen that the diversity of keratinophilic fungi etiological agents of dermatomycosis is dominated by non-dermatophytes, observing that despite the environmental differences are able to adapt in various environmental conditions.