Madhu Babu Chekuri1, Rajeev Singh Thakur2, Padmaja Pinjala 3, A. Saritha4
BACKGROUND
Tinea corporis refers to all dermatophytoses of glabrous (relatively hairless) skin except the palms, soles and groin. Identification of dermatophytic species in clinical settings are important not only for epidemiology but also for the treatment.
OBJECTIVES
Present study was carried out to find out the clinical variants of tinea corporis and species of fungus responsible for the disease in patients attending Outpatient Department of Dermatology, Venereology and, Leprology, Osmania General Hospital, Hyderabad. It may help in identifying any yet unrecognised changing trend in this aspect of the disease.
METHODS
The prospective observational analysis of 100 clinically suspected cases of tinea corporis attending DVL Department, Osmania General Hospital, Hyderabad. Skin scrapings were collected and processed according to standard protocol.
RESULTS
Maximum number of patients enrolled in study were reported for treatment 5-8 weeks after the onset of disease. Overall male predominance was observed and ages between 20-29 years (39%). 82% of samples were positive on direct microscopy and 58% positive on culture. Trichophyton rubrum was the commonest species isolated (79.3%), followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes (13.79%).
CONCLUSIONS
The study highlighted tinea corporis clinical variants with male predominance. Overall, predominant causative fungal species isolated was Trichophyton rubrum. No species specificity was noted in any clinical pattern, all species were isolated from all the clinical variants except for plaque type of lesions in which Trichophyton verrucosum was isolated more frequently.
