Mukesh Manjhi1 , Sneha Mohan2 , Vivek Sagar3 , Pravesh Yadav4 , V. Ramesh5
BACKGROUND Dermatophytosis is a superficial fungal infection commonly referred to as ringworm or tinea. It remains a public health problem, which is prevalent in all age groups and both the sexes. The prevalence and mycological profile of dermatophytosis varies across populations and also keeps changing from time to time in a particular population. This study was conducted to study the clinicomycological profile of dermatophytic infection in our population. METHODS 117 patients over a period of one year were enrolled for the study. All patients were thoroughly examined, and clinical details were noted. The sample obtained by skin / nail / hair scrapings was divided into two parts: one for KOH mount and another for fungal culture. Following direct microscopic examination with KOH, the scrapings (skin, hair and nail) were inoculated into slopes of duplicate sets of tubes containing Sabouraud’s dextrose agar and dermatophyte test medium. The isolates were identified by studying the culture characteristics, pigment production, and microscopic examination of the lactophenol cotton blue mounts and slide culture. RESULTS Males were found to be more commonly infected (M : F = 2.4 : 1). The most common age group affected was 16 - 30 years (49 patients, 41.8 %) followed by 31 - 45 years age group (35 patients, 29.9 %). Tinea corporis was the most common clinical presentation (54, 46.1 %) followed by tinea manuum (21, 17.9 %), tinea cruris (13, 11.1 %), tinea unguium (13, 11.1 %), tinea faciei (6, 5.1 %), tinea pedis (5, 4.2 %) and mixed (5, 4.2 %). In 52 (44.4 %) patients, KOH positivity was seen while 48 (41 %) patients showed culture positivity. The most common dermatophytes isolated were T. mentagrophytes (25, 59.5 %) followed by T. rubrum (10, 23.8 %), T. tonsurans (6, 14.2 %) and Epidermophyton floccosum (1, 2.3 %). CONCLUSIONS T. mentagrophytes is the most common organism causing dermatophytosis in our population. An epidemiological shift of type of fungus seems to have occurred when compared to previous study in which T. rubrum was the most common organism isolated. Also, most common clinical pattern observed was tinea corporis followed up by tinea manuum which is different from the previously observed pattern. The present study demonstrated the clinico-mycological pattern in our population which can be utilized in framing policies and treatment guidelines.
