Frequency of Dermatophytoses

Dermatophytosis is a fungal infection caused by dermatophytes, which have the ability to invade keratinized tissues such as hair, nail and skin. Epidemiology of the disease depends on age as well as prevailing hygiene, socioeconomic status and cultural conditions.This descriptive study was conducted from March 2006 to March 2007 at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, on 599 patients with suspected cutaneous fungal infection at Dermatology Clinic of Ghaem Hospital Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Direct examination of smears and culture on SCC were used to diagnose the infection in mycology labs of Ghaem Hospital and Mashhad branch of ACECR.Overall, 384 patients had fungal infection (64.1%), out of which 137 cases were suffering from dermatophytosis. Numbers of male and female cases were 91 and 46 respectively (p= 0.002). Maximum infection rate found in 21-30 years age group and tinea corporis was the most common dermatophytic infection (56.2%) followed by tinea cruris (20.4%) and tinea pedis (13.8%). The frequencies of etiological agents isolated from patients were as follows: Tricophyton rubrum, 44.5%; Epidermophyton floccosum, 21.9%; Tricophyton mentagrophyte, 11%; Tricophyton verrucosum, 7.3% and Microsporum canis, 7.3%.Since high prevalence of dermatophytosis reported in this study, public education on the potential risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of the disease are recommended and more studies to determine the main agents of dermatophytosis in other regions of our country are necessary.