In isolating the causative organisms of dermatophytosis, the collection of pathognomic materials, the culture methods, and the condition of media are known to be the most important factors concerning the positive rate for identification of fungal infections of the skin.
There have been many reports and suggestions for the improvement of media, however, the collection of pathognomic materials and the culture methods were generally neglected.
In 1963, Mackenzie reported, that he had a favorable results in obtaining higher numbers of isolates by using his hair brush method in tines capitis due to Trichophyton tonsurans, and* Rosenthal and Wapnick succeeded also in obtaining the higher isolates of Trichophyton ment-agrophytes by using self-made hair brush from clinically normal guinea-pigs.
Facing with the complexity of past favored epilating hair culture method, authors intended to suggest a variant of the method using two self-made brushes, the one is the various test tube washing brushes with short-cut hairs and the other brushes resembling tooth brushes.
Brushes putready for use after sterilization and whenever patients come, the materials had been collected applying the brushes to the lesions by rotating several times and then cultured by touching several times to the slope of media, the brushes were applied sufficient force to dislodge some hairs and scales, but not hard enough to break the surface of the agar.
The followings are the results of comparative studies between the epilating hair culture method and the variant brushing culture method applied to 36 cases of tinea capitis,
1. Higher numbers of diseased hair including scales were obtained by the variant brushing method, as compared with epilating hair culture method which used to affored diseased hair only.
2. Of 36 cases of tinea capitis examined, 32 cases yielded positive culture while 30 cases were isolated by epilating hair culture method.
3 Lesser contaminations were noted.
4. The variant brushing culture method is more easier and spare time in handling
5. The brushes applied to the lesion could be preserved for repeat cultures.
6. The brushes were easily available and inexpensive.
7. The variant brushing culture method yielded more apparant colonies in color, and the colonies were abundant in number.
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