Abstract

Keratinophilic fungi occur abundantly in the superficial soil layer of landfills and their surrounding. Forty seven soil samples of animal (37 samples) and bird (10 samples) habitats from different localities of Jaipur District were collected for the estimation of keratinophilic fungi using the hair baiting technique. Seventy five isolates belonging to 14 genera and 20 species were reported. Soil pH range varies from 6.5 to 10.5. But most of the fungi (33.33%) were isolated from neutral soil (pH 7.0). Chrysosporium tropicum(25.33%) was the  predominant fungi isolated  from both habitats soil. This was followed by the predominance of Trichophyton terrestre (12%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes(9.3%), C. indicum (5.33%), Actinomyces sp. (6.67%), and Nocardia sp. (6.67%)  in both habitats. Interestingly, Exserophilum sp., Microsporum audouinii, Trichophyton verrucosum were isolated for the first time from Jaipur India.

Key words: Dermatophytes, Trichophyton, Microsporum, Chrysosporium, soil fungi.