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.
Background:Dermatophytes are a group of keratinophilic fungi worldwide, which can infect the skin, hair and nails of humans and animals. This genus includes several species that present different features of dermatophytosis. Although, laboratory diagnosis of dermatophytes is based on direct microscopy, biochemical tests and culture, these manners are expensive, time consuming and need skilled staff. Therefore, molecular methods like PCR-RFLP are the beneficial tools for identification, which are rapid and sensitive. Thus, dermatophyte species are able to generate characteristic band patterns on agarose gel electrophoresis using PCR-RFLP technique, which leads to successful identification at the species level within a 5-hour period.Objectives:The purpose of this study was to study inter- and intraspecific genomic variations for identification of clinically important dermatophyte species obtained from clinical specimens in Isfahan, Iran using PCR-RFLP.Materials and Methods:From March 2011 to August 2012, 135 clinical isolates were collected from infected patients at Isfahan, Iran. ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of rDNA was amplified using universal fungal primers. Subsequently, amplified products were digested by the MvaI restriction enzyme. Using discriminating band profiles on agarose gel, dermatophyte species were identified. However, DNA sequencing was used for unidentifiable strains.Results:The specimens were obtained from skin scrapings (70.3%), nail (24.4%) and hair (5.1%) clippings. Most patients were between 21 - 30 years and the ratio of male to female was 93/42. Trichophyton interdigitale was the commonest isolate (52.5%) in our findings, followed by Epidermophyton floccosum (24.4%), T. rubrum (16.2%), Microsporum canis (2.2%), T. erinacei (1.4%), T. violaceum (1.4%), T. tonsurans (0.7%) and M. gypseum (0.7%) based on PCR-RFLP.Conclusions:Combination of traditional methods and molecular techniques considerably improves identification of dermatophytes in the species level in clinical laboratories, which can lead to properly antifungal therapy and successful management of infections. However, restriction and specificity and sensitivity should be lowered and increased, respectively, to be useful for a wide variety of clinical applications.
A total of 330 dust and soil samples collected from different sites at 13 elementary schools and seven public parks in the province of Isfahan, Iran were examined for the frequency of keratinophilic fungi by the hair-baiting technique. Two hundred and fourteen isolates of keratinophilic fungi belonging to seven species were identified. The most frequent isolate was Chrysosporium keratinophilum (54.2%). The frequency and distribution of these keratinophilic fungi are discussed in relation to the presence of children in these environments.
Dermatophyte infections are very common worldwide and their epidemiological characteristics vary according to the geographical region and have altered in the last decades. The aim of the present investigation was to determine the diversity of causative agents of dermatophytoses and describe the epidemiological condition of infection in Isfahan, Iran, between 2003 and 2012. Specimens were collected from hair, nail, and skin and were examined by conventional methods such as direct microscopy, culture on sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol and cycloheximide (Mycosel agar) and sabouraud glucose agar, Trichophyton agars, growth on rice grains, urease test, and hair perforation test. Of 13,469 clinically suspected cases, 11.5% were affected with dermatophytoses. Tinea capitis was the most frequent form of infection (52.7%), followed by tinea corporis (24%), tinea pedis (8.9%). Trichophyton verrucosum was the most prevalent causative agent (40.6%), followed by T. mentagrophytes var. interdigitale (17.6%), Epidermophyton floccosum (13%), T. violaceum (12%), T. rubrum (4.1%). Age range of patients was between 1 and 80 years. Housewives were the most patients in our study. The study emphasizes importance of epidemiological surveys of dermatophyte species for the better management of infection.
The incidence of opportunistic fungi in bronchoalveolar lavage specimens from patients suspected of tuberculosis in Isfahan, Iran, was determined. From 200 patients 36 yeasts (18%) and seven filamentous fungi (3.5%) were isolated. Out of 44 patients who had fungal infections, 12 cases were affected with definite tuberculosis.
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