Abstract
A description is provided for Nannizzia persicolor. Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: The primary hosts of N. persicolor are various species of voles (particularly the bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus), on which it usually occurs without visible signs of infection (RMVM 6, 927), males being somewhat more frequently infected than females (RMVM 12, 157; 14, 1479). It is also sometimes carried on the fur of other rodents (recorded from pipistrelle bat (RMVM 5, 2201), hamster (RMVM 12, 157), deer mouse (RMVM 14, 134), wood mouse (RMVM 6, 926), common shrew (RMVM 6, 926) and weasel (RMVM 7, 63)) without apparent infection, and has been isolated from a healthy pony (RMVM 8, 446). Ringworm caused by this species has also been recorded in the dog (RMVM 2, 1650; 6, 1920; 12, 1854), horse (RMVM 6, 3213) and man. The epidemic in guineapigs in Tunisia (RMVM 5, 498) was probably not due to N. persicolor (RMVM 5, 2201). The guineapig, monkey, mouse and rabbit have been infected experimentally (RMVM 1, 1739; 10, 595). It has also been isolated on a few occasions from soil (RMVM 11, 95). DISEASE: Ringworm (dermatophytosis, tinea). In the vole the most constantly infected site is the tail, which may show varying degrees of scaling and hair loss, symptoms also sometimes found on fungus-free tails (6, 927); lesions have been found only rarely on other sites. In man infection occurs mainly on exposed parts of the glabrous skin, i.e. on the face, hands (tinea manuum) and forearms and lower legs (tinea corporis). Infections of the beard area (tinea barbae), nails (tinea unguium), scalp (tinea capitis) and feet (tinea pedis) have also been recorded [see NOTES]. Lesions are scaling and usually mildly to moderately erythematous. More inflammatory lesions may occur and kerion formation has been reported in a few instances. Hair is not invaded in vivo. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Possibly worldwide; N. persicolor has been recorded widely in Europe and rarely from N. America (Canada, USA), S. America (Brazil, Uruguay), Africa (Tunisia, S. Africa) and Asia (India, Israel) [see NOTES].