RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of dermatophytes varies with season, geographical area, socio-economic factors and effective management strategies. AIMS: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of pathogenic dermatophytes, clinical types of dermatophyte fungal infection, and in vitro antifungal drug susceptibility testing against dermatophytes. METHODS: Three hundred and ninety five patients with dermatophytosis were enrolled from five cities (Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata and Hyderabad) across India. All patients were subjected to clinical examination and investigations, including potassium hydroxide microscopy, fungal culture and antifungal drug susceptibility testing. RESULTS: Trichophyton rubrum was the most common species identified (68.4%), followed by T. mentagrophytes (29.3%). Within species, T. mentagrophytes was prevalent in humid environmental conditions (Mumbai and Kolkata), whereas T. rubrum was prevalent in noncoastal areas (Delhi, Lucknow and Hyderabad). Tinea corporis (71.4%) and tinea cruris (62.0%) were the common clinical types observed. antifungal drug susceptibility testing data indicated that minimum inhibitory concentration required to inhibit the growth of 90% of organisms (MIC-90) was lowest for griseofulvin (0.25-3.0 µg/mL). Among oral antifungals, the mean MIC of itraconazole was within the range (0.84 [0.252] µg/ mL), whereas high mean MIC values were reported for terbinafine (0.05 [0.043] µg/mL). Among topical agents, lowest mean MIC values were reported for luliconazole (0.29 [0.286] µg/mL), eberconazole (0.32 [0.251]) µg/mL and amorolfine (0.60 [0.306]) µg/mL. LIMITATIONS: Lack of correlation between in vitro antifungal susceptibility and clinical outcome and absence of defined MIC breakpoints. CONCLUSION: T. rubrum was the most common, followed by T. mentagrophytes as an emerging/codominant fungal isolate in India. Tinea corporis was the most common clinical type of dermatophytosis. Mean MIC of terbinafine was above the reference range, while it was within the range for itraconazole; griseofulvin had the lowest mean MIC. Luliconazole presented the lowest mean MIC values across cities.