Polymorphic exocellular protease expression in clinical isolates of Trichophyton tonsurans

Tinea capitis continues to be an overwhelmingly prevalent disease in children. Despite the fact that it was recognized over a century ago, the factors that dictate the divergent clinical presentations seen with tinea capitis (e.g., carrier state, chronic non-inflammatory infection, acute severely-inflammatory infection) remain unknown. Given the pathogenic role of exocellular proteases in dermatophyte infections and their potential immunogenic role, this investigation was designed to characterize strain-specific variability in fungal protease expression and activity in Trichophyton tonsurans isolates identified from children with tinea capitis.