Endothrix refers to dermatophyte infections of the hair that invade the hair shaft and internalize into the hair cell. This is in contrast to exothrix (ectothrix), where a dermatophyte infection remains confined to the hair surface.

Tinea capitis can be classified as endothrix or ectothrix depending on how the pathogen invades. In endothrix infections, it invades the hair shaft itself, often causing hairless patches with black dots (broken hair shafts).

Aug 8, 2023 · Tinea capitis, also known as ringworm or herpes tonsurans infection, is a fungal infection of the scalp hair. It is caused primarily by the dermatophyte species Microsporum and Trichophyton. The fungi can penetrate the hair follicle's outer root sheath and ultimately may invade the hair shaft.

Ectothrix means the hyphae and conidia do not invade the hair shaft and instead degrade the cuticle, while endothrix refers to fungi that invade the hair shaft . Hyphal structures can also be used to distinguish the dermatophyte species.

Endothrix infection is caused by anthropophilic Trichophyton species such as Trichophyton tonsurans and Trichophyton violaceum, which respond well to terbinafine. By contrast, SSE is caused by Microsporum species, including Microsporum audouinii (anthropophilic) and Microsporum canis (zoophilic), for which terbinafine is less effective, and ...

Dermatophytic infections of the scalp (tinea capitis) are characterized by involvement of the hair shaft by pathogenic fungi. The causative organism determines the pattern of hair invasion. Endothrix infections – There is minimal epidermal response aside from mild hyperkeratosis (figure 1).

Fungal spores (conidia) invading the interior of a hair shaft; there is no conspicuous external sheath of spores, as there is with ectothrix. [endo- + G. thrix, hair] Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012.

is that ectothrix is a sheath of conidia, on the outside of a hair, caused by a parasitic fungus while endothrix is a dermatophyte infection of the hair that invades the hairshaft and internalizes into the hair cell.

The early reports revealed a paucity of patients with Trichophyton endothrix infections so treated. This prompted us to enlarge on our preliminary studies 5 in which we obtained apparent cures in 14 T. tonsurans and 4 T. violaceum infections of the scalp.

A mosaic of arthrospores outside the hair shaft is said to be ectothrix (Fig. 29-3), while arthrospores in roughly parallel chains inside the hair shaft are said to be endothrix. Microsporum hair infections are generally characterized by a small-spored ectothrix pattern of growth ( 5 ).