SUMMARY:The fluorescent materials present in human and cat hair as a result of infection with Microsporon canis, M . audouini and Trichophyton schoenleini were extracted with dilute ammonia. Paper chromatography and electrophoresis showed that the principal fluorescent material was common to all these infections and that further fluorescent substances were present in the extract from 2 ' . schoenleini infected hair. Chemical properties and absorption spectra of the extracts have been examined.The brilliant green fluorescence in Wood's light shown by hairs infected with Microsporon canis, M. audouini and Trichophyton schoenleini was first noticed by Margarot & Dev&ze (1925) and is now an accepted method of diagnosis in cases of small-spore ringworm, although the nature of the fluorescent material has not been determined. Davidson & Gregory (1932) showed that it could be readily extracted from the hairs by hot water and, working with a crude extract, they showed the presence of a substance or substances containing nitrogen, phenolic and aldehyde groups but no ninhydrin-reacting substances. Felsher (1949) extracted the hairs with cold 2~-sodium bromide and showed colour changes of the fluorescence with pH, and quenching by a number of salt solutions. Robinson, Figge & Bereston (1953) described spectroscopic studies made on an aqueous extract of hair infected with Microsporon audouini; they purified their extract by shaking with a mixture of alumina, aluminium silicate and talc under unspecified conditions. Infra-red spectra showed the presence of material containing a substituted amide group, hydroxyl, methyl and amino groups. The present work describes a comparison of the fluorescent substances produced by the three fungi, and indicates certain common products and the presence of additional fluorescent materials in the extract from the Trichophyton schoenleini infection. Isolation of the pure substances has not been achieved, principally owing to the very small amounts available.
MATERIALS AND METHODSInfected hair. This was obtained from patients in Leeds and Huddersfield and also in the case of infections due to Microsporon canis from the hair of cats infected with Microspmon. Hair was also obtained from a case of f a n s which occurred in an Italian immigrant. Mycological identification of the fungus was made in all cases.Extraction of theJEuorescent material, Infected hair was extracted with ether