Fungal Tunneling of Hair from a Buried Body

Abstract

Tunnels produced in human head hair by fungal hyphae were examined with a light microscope and with a scanning electron microscope. The tunnels had small diameters and exhibited minimal branching. The use of a backscattered electron detector facilitated the locating of the openings of the tunnels in the surfaces of the hairs. In the backscattered electron image, tunnel openings appeared as dark spots. The tunneling hyphae did not show a preference for a particular location for entering the shaft of the hair. Some hyphae penetrated under the free edges of the cuticular scales, while others burrowed through the surfaces of the scales.