Public Health Significance of Dermatophytes in Ismailia and Port Said Provinces, Egypt

Abstract

Background : Dermatophytes are common in both developed and developing countries, the species involved and the resulting clinical entities vary geographically. Aim of study: To determine public health importance of dermatophytes with special regard to the distribution of the zoophilic species among the examined human cases. Methods: Patient specimens（dermatophytosis-like lesions）were mycologically examined using direct microscopic and cultural examinations. Results: The overall dermatophyte infection rates among the examined patients（260）were 81.5% and 61.9% by direct microscopic and cultural examinations, respectively. A total of 161 dermatophyte isolates were obtained from culturally positive human specimens. The most common isolated species were Trichophyton violaceum（60, 37.3 %）and Microsporum canis（46, 28. 6%） , followed by Trichophyton rubrum（20, 12. 4%） , Trichophyton tonsurans（16, 9.9%）and Trichophyton mentagrophytes（11, 6.8%） . The less frequently isolated species were Trichophyton verrucosum（3, 1.9%） , Epidermophyton floccosum（3, 1.9%） , Microsporum gypseum （1, 0. 6%）and Microsporum audouinii（1, 0. 6%） . The current study further revealed that out of 161 culturally positive patients, 61（37.9%）had contact with pet animals, 6（3.7%）had contact with farm animals, 7（4.3%）had a history of rodent presence in or around their home and 87（54%）had no contact with animals. Conclusions and recommendations: Although the anthropophilic species dominated the aetiology of human dermatophytosis in present study, the zoophilic species represented nearly one third of the totally obtained isolates, with the most important organisms being M. canis, T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes and T. verrucosum. These findings indicate the necessity of human beings taking appropriate control measures when they are in contact with animals.

Nail changes in female pemphigus vulgaris patients on immunosuppressive therapy

“…Similarly, 53% of the PV patients reported by Schlesinger et al (2002) displayed a positive fungal culture but exclusively grew Trichophyton rubrum in culture. The difference in the frequency of dermatophytes involved in the current study could be attributed to the fact that dermatophytes species vary geographically (Aboueisha and El-Mahallawy, 2013). …”

Feline-Human Zoonosis Transmission in North Africa: A Systematic Review

“…A single study contained definitive prevalence rate numbers relating both human and feline dermatophyte infections, with animal contact a risk factor in 56.7% of positive human cases, but did not differentiate cats from other animals (Boumhil et al 2010 ). Several studies commented on the rise of zoophilic species diagnosis in humans, and an increased representation in the isolates from skin lesions taken from dermatological patients (Benmezdad et al 2012 , Aboueisha and El-Mahallawy 2013 ).…”

Trends in the epidemiology of dermatophytosis in the Middle East and North Africa region

“…Four studies showed that T. rubrum was the main species found among skin dermatophytosis in Tunisia, 61,89–91 and it was also predominant in other countries such as Algeria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia 57,75,92 . However, several reports from Egypt and Libya reported T. violaceum as the main etiologic agent of Tinea corporis and other ringworm infections of the skin 8,47,58,93 . Additionally, zoonotic species including M. canis and T. mentagrophytes were frequent in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, and Egypt 66,69,74,94 .…”