Dermatophytoses in Gusco (Peru)

Dynamics of dermatophytosis frequency in Mexico: an analysis of 2084 cases

We analysed 15,101 biological samples from patients presenting with superficial mycoses who attended outpatient services over a 10-year period. Scale samples were processed for direct microscopic examination with 15% KOH and cultured on Sabouraud glucose agar plus chloramphenicol and cycloheximide. Laboratory examination confirmed 4,709 cases of superficial mycosis (31.18%), of which 2,084 (44.26%) were dermatophytoses. The species most frequently encountered was Trichophyton rubrum (71.2%), followed by T. tonsurans (6.9%), T. mentagrophytes (5.5%), Microsporum canis (4.5%) and Epidermophyton floccosum (1.3%). The most frequent clinical form of dermatophytosis was tinea unguium (59.9%), followed by tinea pedis (24.5%). We demonstrate that the number of cases of T. rubrum is increasing in Mexico.

Dermatophytoses in outpatients attending the Dermatology Center of Avicenna Hospital in Qazvin, Iran

Dermatophytosis is still being considered as one of the major public health problems in many parts of the world. To identify the prevalence and etiological agents of dermatophytoses, a study was carried out between 2004 and 2006. Out of 1023 subjects suspected to have cutaneous mycoses, 348 (34%) patients were affected with dermatophytoses. The causative agents were identified macroscopically and microscopically after the clinical samples were subjected to potassium hydroxide examination and culture isolation. Epidermophyton floccosum was the most frequently isolated species representing 32.8% of isolates, followed by T. rubrum (18.1%), T. verrucosum (17.2%), T. mentagrophytes var. interdigitale (15.8%), T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes (6.6%) and T. violaceum, T. schoenleinii and Microsporum canis (0.9%). The most common type of infection was tinea cruris (31.9%) affecting in particular male patients. Some other most prevalent tinea types were tinea corporis (20.7%), tinea pedis (19%), and tinea unguium (11.2%). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on dermatophytoses in Qazvin and the first study that shows tinea cruris as a major type of superficial fungal infection in Iran. The frequency of tinea was higher in males and tinea cruris showed a remarkably increasing tendency and was an important public health issue in Qazvin.

Analysis of the dermatophyte species isolated in the British Isles between 1980 and 2005 and review of worldwide dermatophyte trends over the last three decades

Infections of the skin, hair and nails by dermatophyte fungi are common in developed and developing countries alike. However, the species involved and the resulting clinical entities vary both geographically and with time. We have surveyed 15,333 dermatophytes obtained from primary isolations at the Mycology Reference Laboratory, Bristol, UK from 1980 through 2005. Several striking trends in dermatophyte prevalence were apparent over this period. The relative frequencies of isolations of Microsporum canis (cat and dog ringworm), Trichophyton verrucosum (cattle ringworm), T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes (rodent ringworm) and Epidermophyton floccosum (a cause of human groin and foot infections) all decreased by 90%. Conversely, the contributions of T. tonsurans and T. violaceum (two anthropophilic scalp-infecting species) to total dermatophyte isolations increased by 1000% over the same period. Finally, T. rubrum and T. mentagrophytes var. interdigitale, the two common causes of foot infection comprised 80% of all dermatophytes isolated in 1980 and 90% of isolations in 2005. Similar trends in dermatophyte prevalence were evidenced throughout the British Isles, based on the voluntary reporting of isolations from a large number of British laboratories at 5-yearly intervals over the same period. The implications of these changing patterns of dermatophyte species, and the clinical entities they produce are discussed in the context of a review of worldwide dermatophyte isolations over the last three decades, with emphasis on the causal agents of tinea capitis.

Epidemiology of dermatomycoses in children living in Northern Greece 1996-2000

In the 5-years period, 1996-2000, 1045 children under 13 years old were examined for suspected dermatomycosis. In 611 cases fungi were isolated. Male children were mainly affected on the scalp and body area. Girls were more affected in the location of the arms and legs. There was a greater proportion of cases in the age range 2-12 years. The most prominent fungus was Microsporum canis (515 cases) followed by Trichophyton rubrum (34) and Candida albicans (20). Tinea capitis (280 cases) mainly caused by M. canis (276 cases) was the most common clinical form. Tinea corporis (109 cases) mainly caused by M. canis (88 cases), C. albicans (10 cases) and T. rubrum (seven cases) was the second most frequent clinical form.

Characteristics of dermatophytoses among children in an area south of Tehran, Iran

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and etiological agents of dermatophytoses, and also their distribution according to age, gender, and body site among children in an area south of Tehran. A total of 382 children aged </=16 years suspected to have dermatophytic lesions were examined over a period of 3 years (1999-2001). The incidence rate of dermatophytoses was 6.6 per 100 000 person-years. Trichophyton violaceum was the most frequent isolate (28.3%) followed by Microsporum canis (15.1%), Epidermophyton floccosum (15.1%), T. rubrum (13.2%), T. mentagrophytes (11.3%), M. gypseum (7.5%), and T. verrucosum (5.7%). Tinea capitis (39.6%) was the most common type of infection, followed by tinea corporis (30.2%), tinea faciei (18.9%), and tinea manuum (7.5%).

Characteristics of superficial mycoses in Malta

BACKGROUND

A study was conducted to determine the chief agents of superficial mycoses in Malta. Data were collected over a 5-year period from mycologic investigations carried out on all dermatologic specimens sent to the Mycology Laboratory at St. Luke's Hospital in Malta.

METHODS

In the period between January 1995 and December 1999, a total of 1271 specimens from skin, nails, or hair were collected from 1200 clinically suspected cases of dermatomycoses.

RESULTS

The fungi cultivated included dermatophytes (n = 371), yeasts (n = 33), and nondermatophyte filamentous fungi (n = 12). Trichophyton rubrum (n = 121) was the most prevalent, followed by Microsporum canis (n = 109), T. mentagrophytes (n = 80), M. gypseum (n = 27), Epidermophyton floccosum (n = 17), T. soudanense (n = 10), T. tonsurans (n = 2), T. verrucosum (n = 2), M. persicolor (n = 1), and T. violaceum (n = 1). Candida species were also cultivated, with C. parapsilosis (n = 14) being the most common, followed by C. albicans (n = 12) and C. tropicalis (n = 6). Nondermatophyte filamentous fungi were isolated from nail specimens only.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, superficial fungal infections were reported more commonly in female (n = 207) than in male (n = 182) patients. M. canis was the chief agent of tinea capitis and tinea corporis, whilst T. rubrum was the main causative agent of tinea pedis, tinea manuum, and tinea unguium. Onychomycosis due to Candida species was more common in female than in male patients.

Tinea capitis in Van, Turkey

Forty patients with an average age of 6.5 +/- 3.2 years (28 male 12 female) who applied to the YYU Medical Faculty Dermatology Department outpatient clinic were investigated. Tinea capitis profunda was determined as the most frequent clinical type. The isolated dermatophytic flora of the patients consisted of Trichophyton verrucosum (43%), T. violaceum (30%), T. rubrum (23%) and T. mentagrophytes (3%). The patients with tinea capitis profunda were mostly from rural areas.

The aetiological agents of tinea capitis in Zaragoza (Spain)

Between 1977 and 1997, 190 cases of tinea capitis were observed. The age groups most commonly infected were 1-10 years old. The following dermatophytes were isolated: Microsporum canis (119), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (57), Trichophyton tonsurans (seven), Trichophyton verrucosum (three), Trichophyton violaceum (one), Trichophyton schoenleinii (one), Trichophyton soudanense (one) and Microsporum audouinii (one).

A review of the epidemiology of tinea unguium in the community

Tinea unguium is a common, chronic fungal infection of the nails. Many epidemiological studies have looked at the frequency with which this condition is seen in hospital outpatients clinics or mycological laboratories along with other dermatomycoses. Only recently have studies begun to emerge looking at the prevalence of this condition in populations. Hospital and mycological laboratory-based studies give valuable information about tinea unguium prevalence in a particular clinic, but cannot be compared with other studies due to confounding factors inherent in the different people attending individual clinics. From population-based studies the prevalence of tinea unguium lies between 2 and 8%. Tinea unguium increases steadily with age. It is infrequent but definitely found in children. With the increasing life expectancy in the Western world the prevalence of tinea unguium is likely to increase further without adequate prevention and treatment.

Fungal flora in human skin and skin appendages infections in the region of Lódź, Poland

In the years 1987-95, 3550 patients with mycotic skin infections were divided into two groups: a group of 2282 (64.3%) subjects with dermatophytosis and a group of 1268 (35.7%) subjects with other fungal infections. Among dermatophytes the most common infectious agent was Trichophyton mentagrophytes (33%), followed by T. rubrum (30%) and Microsporum canis (11%). A total of 17% of all infections were caused by Candida sp.

Prevalence and aetiology of dermatophytoses in Isfahan, Iran

In this study the prevalence and causative agents of dermatophytoses in Isfahan, a large province of Iran, were determined. Of 16,578 clinically suspected cases 13.3% were affected with dermatophytoses. Lesions of tinea capitis were the most prevalent clinical type of dermatophytoses (54.1%), followed by tinea corporis (23.8%) and tinea pedis (8.9%). Trichophyton verrucosum was the most frequent causative agent (32.8%), followed by Epidermophyton floccosum (17.6%), T. mentagrophytes (16.2%) and Microsporum canis (12.3%). We found a relationship between the spread of dermatophytoses and live-stock infected with dermatophytoses in Isfahan.

Fungi responsible for skin mycoses in Turin (Italy)

There has been a recent increase in the frequency of skin mycoses, coupled with changes in the epidemiology and distribution of the species responsible. Periodic epidemiological analyses of these disease are thus required to ensure their efficacious control. Hair fragments, skin scrapings, specimens from vesicles and blisters and nail parings were seeded on Petri dishes loaded with Sabouraud or Mycosel agar, supplemented with chloramphenicol and with chloramphenicol plus cycloheximide respectively. Parts of each specimen were also mounted in 10% potassium hydroxide for examination under the microscope. Yeasts prevailed over dermatophytes. Microsporum canis was the most frequent dermatophyte, followed by Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes and Epidermophyton floccosum. Tinea corporis was the most common mycosis, followed by tinea unguis, tinea capitis and tinea pedis. Men were chiefly bearers of tinea cruris and tinea pedis, women of tinea corporis, and children and teenagers of tinea capitis. Some examples of the transmission of infection through interhuman contact, via animals and from the soil are also presented.

Frequency of Trichophyton rubrum in tinea capitis

Trichophyton rubrum has led to unprecedented worldwide suppression of other dermatophytes which had been predominant earlier as a causative agent of superficial dermatomycoses. In tinea capitis on the other hand, several other species of Trichophyton or Microsporum are dominant depending on the region or continent. Tinea capitis caused by T. rubrum is a rare event worldwide. Occasional concentrations may be explained by several cases occurring by chance in one family or community. The relative frequency of this causative agent in tinea capitis in children is under 1%. In adults, however, where tinea capitis occurs very infrequently indeed, the incidence of T. rubrum appears to exceed 10%. Apart from two studies from India, one from Iran, two from Portugal and observations from Germany, which in the first country report of around 30% of all cases published, while the others document some 10% each, there are not only any conspicuous, unequivocal concentrations at all. Increased frequency of T. rubrum in this clinical picture has not been easily recognizable over the last decades due to low absolute case numbers.

Dermatophytoses in Iran

A total of 12,150 cases of suspected dermatophytoses in different areas of Iran were studied between 1986 and 1991. The age groups most commonly infected were 1-9 and 20-29 years. Clinical diagnosis was confirmed in only 9345 cases by laboratory examination. Of these positive samples, 1633 cases were found to be positive by direct microscopic observation only, 429 by culture only and 7283 by both techniques. Scalp ringworm of children was the most common type of tinea. But according to the rate of infection, tinea corporis, tinea pedis, tinea cruris, tinea manuum, tinea unguium and tinea barbae were the next most prevalent in that order. The frequencies of dermatophytes isolated from patients were as follows: Microsporum canis 19.4%, Trichophyton rubrum 16.5%, Epidermophyton floccosum 14.9%, Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale 14.6%, Trichophyton verrucosum 11.5%, Trichophyton mentagrophytes 6%, Trichophyton violaceum 8.7%, Trichophyton schoenleinii 5.5%, Trichophyton tonsurans 1.3%, Trichophyton erinacei 0.8% and Microsporum gallinae 0.2%.

Dermatophytoses in Mexico City

We analysed 2350 biological samples from patients with a clinical diagnosis of superficial mycoses who attended outpatient services over a 7-year period. Samples of scales were processed by direct microscopic examination with 15% KOH and cultured on Sabouraud glucose agar with chloramphenicol and cycloheximide. Laboratory examination confirmed dermatophytosis in 860 (36.6%) cases, of which 80.9% were caused by Trichophyton rubrum. The most frequently observed dermatophytoses were tinea unguium (60%) and tinea pedis (25.6%). In agreement with previous observations, we demonstrate that T. rubrum continues to increase in Mexico.