Keratinophilic fungi from the vicinity of salt pan soils of Sambhar lake Rajasthan (India)

Forty soil samples were collected from seven sites in the vicinity of Sambhar lake Rajasthan, India and screened for the presence of keratinophilic fungi using hair baiting techniques for isolation. Seventeen isolates were recovered and identified. The cultures were identified by recognition of their macro- and micro- morphological features. Their identification was confirmed by BLAST using ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA region and sequences have been deposited in NCBI data base. A total of 34 species belonging to 29 genera were isolated. Among the dermatophytes and related keratinophilic fungi Chrysosporium indicum was predominant followed by Ctenomyces serratus, C. tropicum, Keratinophyton durus, Auxarthron conjugatum, Gymnascella dankaliensis, Gymnoascoideus petalosporus and Uncinocarpus reesii. Twenty-six species belonging to 22 genera represented other species. Our study indicates that keratinophilic fungi and species are found in the soils at the vicinity of the Sambhar Lake, and human activities can be the potential source of pathogenic fungi.