A study on the damage of some fibers affected by growth of Dermatophytes

Dermatophytes의 번식에 의한 몇가지 섬유의 손상에 관한 연구

Dermatophytes such as Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton rubrum and Epidermophyton floccosum are used in this study to confirm (a) The Dermatophytes could utilize the wool, cotton and nylon fiber as a nutrient source. (b) The degree of damage of fibers by the Dermatophytes growth. The results of the experiment are summarized as follows; 1. Dermatophytes could not utilize the wool, cotton and nylon fiber directly as a nutrient source without the exogenously applied nutrients. 2. It was presumed that Dermatophytes could utilize the knitted wool fabric as their nutrient source when nutrient was exogenously applied. since the knitted wool fabric was greatly damaged by T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum growth. 3. The tensile strength of knitted wool fabric was significantly decreased by T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum, but not by E. floccosum. However, the tensile strength of knitted nylon fabric was not particularly affected by the Dermatophytes. 4. The burst strength of knitted wool fabric was decreased by T. mentagrophytes ($77\%$). T. rubrum ($53\%$). and E. floccosum ($15\%$). Though the burst strength of knitted cotton fabric was decreased by Dermatophytes about $20\%$, that of knitted nylon fabric was not affected. 5. Observing the damaged wool fiber by scanning microscope, the inner part of wool fiber was permeated by T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum.