Effect of hydrocortisone on Trichophyton rubrum growth in human epidermal keratinocyte cultures

A large volume of evidence suggests that topical steroids intensify fungal infections. To verify this observation further, we inoculated Trichophyton rubrum into human epidermal keratinocyte cultures in the presence of hydrocortisone. Our results reveal that hydrocortisone does stimulate mycelium growth. However, it only occurs in the cultures containing human epidermal cells, and the stimulation is greater at a higher concentration of the drug (20 micrograms/ml) than a lower one (2 micrograms/ml).