Dermatophytosis, Trends in Epidemiology and Diagnostic Approach

Abstract

Dermatophytes are amongst the most common fungal agents causing superficial skin infections. The epidemiology of dermatophytosis has changed during the last century under the influence of socioeconomic factors, modern life, intensification of travel, migration of populations from the southern to the northern hemisphere. As result, Trichophyton rubrum has become the most frequent species worldwide, causing mainly tinea pedis and tinea unguium, while Microsporum canis is still the main agent in tinea corporis and capitis in Mediterranean countries. However, the prevalence of anthropophilic dermatophytes causing tinea capitis in young children is increasing overall in the big cities of Europe and America, causing epidemics and becoming a public health concern. This review summarizes the current status of dermatophyte infection in Europe, Africa, Asia and America and gives an overview of the most recent molecular methods currently available for the laboratory diagnosis of dermatophytosis.

Current Spectrum of Dermatophytosis in a Tertiary Care Hospital of North India – A 6-Year Clinico-Mycological Study

“…These studies report 21% and 20% cases of tinea ungium in their compilations but contrary to these our study revealed merely ten (5.71%) subjects with nail infection and fungal isolates were T.rubrum (5), T.tonsurans and T.violaceum (2 each) and T. mentagrophytes (1). Onychomycosis ( Figure 5) has been correlated with diabetes by various workers but no such link was observed in this study [3] .…”

“…These infections are also referred to as 'ringworm' or 'tinea' and classified according to body sites involved [2] . A group of filamentous fungi belonging to three genera, Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton are the causative agents [3] . The incidence of specific dermatophyte species in a particular region varies with time due to population movement; mass migration and travel, economic status and level of hygiene, culture, traditions and habits, ecology and environment and changing therapies and antifungal susceptibilities [2], [4] .…”

Prevalence and Etiologic Agents of Dermatophytosis among Primary School Children in Harari Regional State, Ethiopia

“…Individuals of both sexes and all ages are susceptible to dermatophytoses; however, tinea capitis is more common in prepubescent children, and tinea cruris and tinea pedis are primarily diseases of adult males [2]. Tinea capitis is also the most prevalent clinical form in African younger age population [3,4].…”

Recent advances in the diagnosis of dermatophytosis

“…Various post‐PCR steps have been performed to increase the sensitivity of dermatophytes detection and identification from clinical samples using panfungal primers [41]. A nested PCR assay is the modification of a conventional PCR approach in which the first amplification is followed by another amplification of a smaller region inside the initial amplified fragment [30]. The nested PCR consists of primary and secondary amplification to increase the specificity and sensitivity of a PCR [56] in which the primary PCR product is used as a template for secondary PCR to avoid primer dimer artefacts.…”