Dermatophytosis affecting the periorbital region.

Most fungal infections of the cornea are secondary infections, caused by opportunis­ tic fungi that have invaded a diseased cornea or one that has been treated with corticosteroids or broad-spectrum antibiotics. Two ex­ ceptions are corneal infections due to Can­ dida albicans or Aspergillus species; these may infect an apparently normal cornea af­ ter minimal trauma. Superficial mycotic infections can be di­ vided into three groups: those caused by (1) the dermatophytes or ringworm fungi, (2) the organisms responsible for tinea versicolor and tinea nigra, and (3) Candida species. It is better to restrict the term dermatophy­ tosis to infections due to the ringworm fungi (the genera Microsporum, Trichophyton, and Epidermophyton) than to use it as an inclusive name for cutaneous fungal dis­ eases. The dermatophytes occasionally infect the skin of the eyelids" or the eyelashes." This paper reports a case of dermatophytosis of the eyelids due to the organism Tricho­ phyton mentagrophytes.