Are a group of (keratinophilic – grow on human tissue containing keratin) slow growing fungi that cause superficial (surface) skin infections of the skin and nails causing conditions like:
1: Tinea unguium (Nail Plates-Onychomycosis)
2: Tinea pedis (Athletes foot)
3: Tinea corporis (body-Ringworm)
4: Tinea manuum (hands)
5: Tinea cruris (jock itch- mostly seen in men)
6: Tinea capitis (head- can cause hair loss)
Under a microscope they will have hyphae (arms) and possibly spores (seeds)
Dermatofyten can be split into 3 species that affect Skin, Hair or Nails: Trichophyton, Epidermophyton and Microsporum
| Agent | Skin | Hair | Nail |
| Trichophyon | Y | Y | Y |
| Epidermophyton | Y | Y | |
| Microsporum | Y | Y |
