Keratinophytes: Nature's Keratin Degrading Organisms :sources, Growth Pattern and Control

Keratinophilic fungi are a small but well-defined and important group of fungi that degrades hard keratin to components of low molecular weight. Keratinophilic saprophytes are found on soil enriched with keratin. They occur on cornified debris in the soil and degrade keratin and keratinous material. Keratinophilic fungi are involved in the breakdown of keratinaceous substrates and are present in the environment worldwide. Many keratinophilic fungi frequently live as a parasite on keratinous tissue as skin, nails, hair in man and animals and bird feathers. The present work is the study of human pathogenic and related fungi in the soils of various habitats and the evaluation of their prevalence rate in soil which serve as the storehouse for microbial population.