Comorbidity of tinea pedis and onychomycosis and evaluation of risk factors in Latino immigrant poultry processing and other manual laborers.

OBJECTIVES: Latino immigrant workers experience elevated rates of skin disease that result from their working and living conditions. Working in manual occupations exposes workers to a variety of challenges, including occlusive shoes, vigorous physical activity, and wet conditions. These challenges predispose workers to fungal infection. The objectives of this article are to examine the comorbidity of tinea pedis and onychomycosis and to identify possible risk factors among Latino immigrant poultry and nonpoultry workers in western North Carolina. METHODS: Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study conducted between June 2009 and November 2010 in rural western North Carolina among 518 manual Latino immigrant workers to assess their occupational injuries. Participants completed a face-to-face interview and a dermatologic examination. RESULTS: Nearly one-third of the participants (32%) were diagnosed as having onychomycosis and more than one-third (37.8%) were diagnosed as having tinea pedis. There was a greater prevalence of tinea pedis in men than women (71.3% vs 28.7%, respectively). Of the 518 participants, 121 (23.5%) had both conditions. Participants who reported the use of occlusive shoes as "always" or "most of the time" had a higher prevalence of comorbid onychomycosis and tinea pedis than the rest of the group. CONCLUSIONS: Comorbidity of tinea pedis and onychomycosis is common among immigrant Latino men and women who perform manual labor. Further studies confirming the presence and type of dermatophyte should be conducted.

Risk factors for the development of tinea pedis and onychomycosis: Real-world evidence from a single-podiatry center, large-scale database in Japan.

Dermatomycosis, including tinea pedis and onychomycosis, is frequently encountered in routine medical care in Japan. Identifying the risk factors for tinea pedis and onychomycosis development is important to encourage hospital visits by patients who may have these diseases but who are not undergoing any treatment. This approach may lead to the prevention of disease progression and the spread of infections to others. Risk factors for onychomycosis development have been reported both in and outside of Japan. However, most of the risk factors were identified based on a multicenter, questionnaire survey study and included evidence obtained from unclear or inconsistent diagnostic criteria for tinea pedis, onychomycosis, and identified risk factors. The current study analyzed the risk factors for developing tinea pedis and onychomycosis in real-world practice in Japan using a single-center, large-scale database that included the data of patients managed with consistent diagnostic criteria at the Podiatry Center of Juntendo University Hospital. A total of 2476 patients (1012 males, 1464 females) with a mean age of 63.4 years were included. Among these patients, 337 (13.6%) had tinea pedis and 346 (14.0%) had onychomycosis. A total of 259 patients (~ 75% of each patient population) had both diseases concomitantly. Multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for the possible risk factors of age (per 10 years), sex, diabetes, dialysis, visual impairment, ulcer history, lower-limb ischemia (LLI), and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) revealed that advanced age, male sex, diabetes, and LLI were independent risk factors for the development of tinea pedis. In addition, DPN was an independent risk factor for developing onychomycosis. We believe that these data are useful for identifying patients who are at high risk of developing tinea pedis and onychomycosis, which may result in disease prevention and suppression in real-world clinical practice in Japan.

The prevalence of dermatophytoses in Brazil: a systematic review.

Dermatophytosis is a common cutaneous mycosis worldwide whose prevalence in Brazil is still unknown. This systematic review has estimated the burden of dermatophytoses from updated literature data reported in the general Brazilian population. We used the following databases: Web of Science, Medline/PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library and Scopus for studies published between 2011 and 2020. Original articles with an emphasis on prevalence data for dermatophytosis in the Brazilian population, and diagnosed by culture exam or molecular biology were eligible. We also assessed the methodological quality of the studies. A total of 24 articles met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. The occurrence of dermatophytoses found in the studies ranged from 4-88.50 %. The pooled prevalence of dermatophytosis for the population studies was 25 % (95 % CI: 24.7-25.3 %). The size of the samples used in the studies ranged from 45 to 36 446 participants, and ages ranged up to 98 years old. The populations studied involved mostly women. The presence of tinea unguium (toenail and fingernail) and tinea pedis were the most frequent dermatophytosis, and we observed a predominance of Trichophyton rubrum, T. interdigitale and T. mentagrophytes. The studies were primarily conducted in patient groups with suspected mycoses and were not entirely representative of the general population. Yet we believe that in the future, more collaborative strategies would improve both diagnostic capacity and epidemiological methodologies, associating the prevalence of dermatophytosis with social and environmental risk factors. This review helps to better understand future epidemiological trends in Brazil and the world.

[Investigation of tinea pedis and toenail onychomycosis prevalence in patients with psoriasis]. / Psöriazisli olgularda tinea pedis ve ayak tirnagi onikomikozu prevalansinin arastirilmasi.

The data about the prevalence of onychomycosis in patients with psoriasis is contradictory. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of onychomycosis and tinea pedis in patients with psoriasis compared to control group. A total of 60 patients with psoriasis (27 male, 33 female; mean age: 40.8 +/- 17.6 years) and 60 subjects without psoriasis (27 male, 33 female; mean age: 42.8 +/- 17.3 years) who were admitted to dermatology outpatient clinics of our hospital were included to the study. Scrapings from both normal and abnormal toenails as well as toewebs were examined using microscopy and fungal culture. Foot dermatomycosis was diagnosed in 6 (5 onychomycosis and 1 tinea pedis) patients with psoriasis (10%) and in 8 (5 onychomycosis and 3 tinea pedis) control subjects (13.3%) (p > 0.05). The only dermatophyte fungi isolated in both patients with psoriasis and control group were Trichophyton rubrum (75%) and Trichophyton interdigitale (25%). Onychomycosis was more predominant in male psoriatic patients (p = 0.01). Both distero-lateral subungual onychomycosis (DLSO) and total dystrophic onychomycosis were detected in patients with psoriasis, however, DLSO, was the only clinical type in the control group. Pitting is the most typical lesions in nails in patients with psoriasis (p = 0.04). The use of common showers play a role in transmission of foot dermatomycosis (p = 0.04). In this study, psoriasis was not found as a risk factor for onychomycosis. However, onychomycosis is a major problem in psoriatic nails, and mycological methods would be useful in differential diagnosis. Since dermatomycosis is still an important public health problem, it may be controlled by education of the patient about proper foot hygiene and avoiding walking barefooted in shower areas.

Internal environment of footwear is a risk factor for tinea pedis.

The relation between tinea pedis and the internal environment of footwear has not been scientifically proven. This study aimed to determine whether the internal environment of footwear affects the incidence of tinea pedis and tinea unguium. This cross-sectional, observatory study involved 420 outpatients who were categorized into non-tinea, tinea pedis or tinea unguium groups based on mycological analysis. External climatic conditions, and temperature, humidity and dew points inside the patients' footwear were recorded. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine independent risk factors for tinea pedis and tinea unguium. A significant correlation was found between high temperature/high humidity and dew point of the internal environment of the footwear and the season. Furthermore, those who wore footwear with internal environments characterized by high temperature, high humidity, high-temperature/high-humidity and high dew point values had a significantly higher incidence of tinea pedis. The internal dew point correlated with the incidence of tinea pedis, whereas the external temperature correlated with the incidence of tinea unguium. The internal humidity and dew point of footwear as well as the frequency with which footwear with a high-temperature/high-humidity internal environment were worn was significantly higher in men than in women. In conclusion, the internal environment of footwear is a risk factor for tinea pedis, and this environment is affected by the season. Moreover, the frequency of tinea pedis among men is related to the internal environment of footwear. The dew point is an appropriate index for evaluating temperature and humidity in relation to tinea pedis.

[Interdigital and foot fungal infection in patients with onychomycosis]. / Infección micótica plantar e interdigital en pacientes con onicomicosis.

In patients with onychomycosis (OM) 71.5% of them have been reported with plantar fungal infection. The aim of this study was to study the frequency and distribution of plantar and interdigital affection in diabetic patients and in a control group without diabetes, all of them with OM. Diabetic patients with OM were more frequently diagnosed with plantar (61.2%) than interdigital (46.7%) infection. In the control group similar results were obtained; patients with OM in 76.5% had plantar mycotic infection and 67.1% interdigital involvement.

Epidemiology of tinea pedis and toenail tinea unguium in worshippers in the mosques in Adana, Turkey.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of dermatomycosis and the risk factors in those who perform their prayers in the mosques in the city center of Adana Province. The diagnosis of dermatomycosis was made on the basis of direct microscopy and/or culture in addition to clinical findings. Among 461 subjects, 136 (29.5%) had tinea pedis, 23 (5.0%) had tinea unguium, and 21 (4.5%) had both infections simultaneously, with a resulting total of 180 (39.0%) cases of dermatomycosis. The causative agents by frequency were: Trichophyton rubrum (67.0%), T. mentagrophytes var. interdigitale (31.1%), and Candida albicans (1.9%). The prevalence of the foot dermatomycosis was found to be high among those who practiced ablution 3-5 times a day and did not dry their feet immediately, who used rubber shoes, and/or who shared their shoes. Pedal dermatophyte infection seems to be a major problem among the adult Muslim male population regularly attending mosques especially in 5th and 6th decades of life.

Species distribution and frequency of isolation of yeasts and dermatophytes from toe webs of diabetic patients.

The paper identifies fungal species, looking at the incidence of fungal isolation and risk factors influencing the development of fungal infection and colonization of interdigital spaces of the feet in 509 diabetic outpatients. Using standard mycologic diagnostic methods, fungi were detected in toe webs of 122 (24%) diabetic patients. The finding of fungi was twice as common in interdigital spaces of one (85/16.7% of the patients) than both feet (37/7.3% of the patients). Yeasts were the most common isolates (95/18.7% of the patients), followed by dermatophytic moulds (24/4.7% of the patients), whereas coexistence of yeasts and dermatophytes was the most infrequent finding (3/0.6% of the patients). From toe webs, 24 fungal species, 21 yeast species belonging to nine genera (Candida, Rhodotorula, Cryptococcus, Trichosporon, Saccharomyces, Blastoschizomyces, Geotrichum, Debaryomyces, and Ustilago) as well as three species of dermatophytes of the genera Trichophyton and Epidermophyton were isolated. The most frequently isolated fungi were Candida parapsilosis (59/11.6% of the patients) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (16/3.1% of the patients). Although there was no correlation between the incidence of toe web space colonization with yeasts and dermatophytosis with the criteria of patient sex and age, and duration of diabetes, the difference in the incidence according to type of diabetes was statistically significant. In non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus patients, the incidence of fungal isolation from toe webs was statistically significantly higher (30.1%) than in insulin dependent diabetes mellitus patients (19.8%).

Annular plaques on the back and flanks.

An 86-year-old African American woman sought care for an asymptomatic rash on her back and flanks that she'd had for 14 months. Physical examination of her trunk revealed 3 to 6 cm annular/arcuate plaques with central clearing. The lesions also had a delicate trailing scale behind a slightly raised erythematous rim. The combination of a ring-shaped rash on the patient's torso and a foot infection led us to the diagnosis.

Majocchi's granuloma and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease in a renal transplant recipient.

Renal transplant recipients are predisposed to infection and malignancy because of underlying long-term immunosuppressive therapy. In this case report, a renal transplant patient with coexisting Trichophyton rubrum granuloma (Majocchi's granuloma) and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is presented, showing the undesirable effects of heavy immunosuppression. Majocchi's granuloma was probably associated with PTLD as a reflection of overimmunosuppression.

Population-based epidemiologic study of tinea pedis in Israeli children.

BACKGROUND: In recent years we have seen an increasing number of children in Israel with tinea pedis. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of tinea pedis in 5- to 14-year-old schoolchildren in a comprehensive epidemiologic population-based study. METHODS: A total of 1148 children, ages 5 to 14 years, from 7 schools with different socioeconomic backgrounds from the Jerusalem area were examined for the presence of tinea pedis. Scrapings from suspected lesions of fungal infection were sent to a mycologic laboratory for KOH microscopy and fungal identification. Information on the children's background and predisposing factors (regarding living conditions, hygiene, etc.) were provided by means of questionnaires filled out by each child. RESULTS: Of the 1148 children examined, 29.6% exhibited erythema and scaling, but only 6.9% of these were mycologically positive for tinea pedis. was the main causative agent (68%) of tinea pedis. The prevalence of tinea pedis increased with age, hyperhidrosis and particularly repeated foot washing (a 3.2 higher rate in children who washed their feet twice a day those who did not wash daily). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of tinea pedis in children has increased in recent decades in Israel and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of dermatologic diseases affecting the feet. Washing habits have a significant effect on tinea pedis in children.

Tinea Pedis caused by Trichophyton violaceum.

This, to authors' knowledge, is the first report in the United States of Tinea pedis caused by Trichophyton violaceum in a recent Southeast Asian immigrant. Because of the recent entry into this country of refugees from an area of the world where T. violaceum is endemic, this anthropophilic dermatophyte may become a significant cause of dermatophytosis in the United States.

Miconazole therapy for endemic fungal disease.

Miconazole nitrate (2.0%) cream was evaluated in the treatment of endemic dermatophytosis in an overcrowded prison. The active drug was compared in a random double-blind study with its control vehicle in the treatment of 99 inmates who had moderate to severe symptomatic disease. Tinea cruris and tinea pedis caused by Trichophyton rubrum predominated, although Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Candida albicans were also isolated and identified. Prompt clinical clearing occurred in 75.5% of those treated with miconazole versus 12.0% of those treated with the vehicle alone. Results of mycological examination closely paralleled and confirmed these clinical results.

Athlete's foot caused by pseudomonas aeruginosa.

An enzymatically active pigment-producing clinical isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found to produce a diffusible antifungal product that was shown to be inhibitory to the growth of several dermatophytes, specifically, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum gypseum, and Microsporum audouini. In this study, Trichophyton rubrum was used as the test organism. The antifungal product was partially purified by Sephadex column chromatography and was found to be stable at 5 degrees, 25 degrees, and 37 degrees C. Several investigators have alluded to the fact that as asymptomatic cases of dermatophytosis simplex progress to symptomatic dermatophytosis complex, the bacterial profile changes from a gram-positive bacterial ecosystem to a gram-negative bacterial over-growth. The primary event in the pathogenesis of interdigital athlete's foot is the invasion of the horny layer by dermatophytes. This presents as a mild to moderate scaly lesion and is asymptomatic. As a result of predisposing factors, such as hyperhidrosis, occlusion by tight shoes, minute abrasions due to friction, and fungal-infected skin surfaces, dynamic overgrowth of opportunistic gram-negative bacilli prevails. As the gram-negative population increases, the recovery of dermatophytes dramatically diminishes, until a point is reached when no dermatophytes can be recovered from clinically symptomatic tinea pedis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is inhibiting its fungal competitor Trichophyton rubrum by producing a diffusible antifungal agent into the infectious environment of the intertriginous foot lesion. Clinically, the patient is diagnosed as having tinea pedis; laboratory culture for fungus and KOH are negative, and what was a paradox just a few years ago can currently be identified and treated appropriately as gram-negative athlete's foot.

Dermatophytosis of the feet.

Tinea pedis is the most common fungal infection worldwide. There are three well-accepted clinical presentations based on the offending organism. Predisposing factors include heat, humidity, and occlusion. Mild disease can evolve to "dermatophytosis complex" through bacterial superinfection. Potassium hydroxide preparation and culture are important diagnostic tests in each case.