Tinea nigra

Last Updated: 2020-06-02

Author(s): Anzengruber, Navarini

  • Cequeira 1891.
  • Montoya y Flores 1893.
  • Castellani 1905.
  • Parreiras-Horta 1921.

Tinea nigra palmaris et plantaris, Pityriasis nigra, Cladosporiosis epidemica, Microsporosis nigra, Keratomycosis nigricans palmaris.

Mycosis caused by Phaeoannellomyces werneckii.

  • Mould fungal disease occurring particularly in Africa, Central and South America.
  • Rarely: Europe and North America.
  • Pathogen: Phaeoannellomyces werneckii (Cladosporium werneckii; Exophiala werneckii, Hortaea werneckii = mould fungus).
  • Incubation period: Several weeks.

Edge-stressed, brownish, black, irregularly limited plaques.

  • Clinical features
  • Pathogen detection

Palmoplantar, rarely chest, neck and face.

  • Econazole cream (Pevaryl cream 1 %): Apply 1-2 times daily to affected skin areas. The therapy should be carried out for a total of 3 days.
  • Ciclopirox cream (Ciclocutan cream or Lsg.): Apply 2x a day to affected skin areas. The therapy should be carried out for a total of 3 days.
  1. Tinea nigra plantaris, in SpringerReference. Springer Science + Business Media.
  2. Abliz, P., et al., Specific oligonucleotide primers for identification of Hortaea werneckii, a causative agent of tinea nigra. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, 2003. 46(2): p. 89-93.
  3. Bonifaz, A., et al., Tinea versicolor, tinea nigra, white piedra, and black piedra. Clin Dermatol, 2010. 28(2): p. 140-5.
  4. Gupta, G., et al., Tinea nigra secondary to Exophiala werneckii responding to itraconazole. Br J Dermatol, 1997. 137(3): p. 483-484.
  5. Haneke, E. and B. Kienlein-Kletschka, Histologic und Elektronenmikroskopie der Tinea nigra/Light and Electron Microscopic Investigation of Tinea Nigra. Mycoses, 2009. 26(10): p. 514-520.
  6. Pegas, J.R., et al., Tinea Nigra: Report of Two Cases in Infants. Pediatric Dermatology, 2003. 20(4): p. 315-317.