Distribution of Species of Dermatophyte Among Patients at a Dermatology Centre of Nghean Province, Vietnam, 2015-2016.

INTRODUCTION: Vietnam is a tropical country so fungal diseases including dermatophytosis may be prevalent, but epidemiological profiles of agents responsible for the infection have rarely been reported. OBJECTIVE: To find out the distribution of dermatophytes among patients living in a central province of Vietnam. METHODS: We examined dermatophyte infections in patients with lesions suspected of dermatophytosis referred to the Nghean provincial leprosy and dermatology centre from August 2015 to August 2016. The speciation of dermatophyte was performed by conventional and molecular approaches. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-six patients (90 males and 46 females) were included. Those aged from 11 to 30 contribute 59.1%. The most common agent found was Trichophyton rubrum (66.9%), followed by T. interdigitale (12.5%), T. tonsurans (9.6%), Microsporum incurvatum (8.1%), and the less frequent species were M. canis (2.2%) and T. violaceum (0.7%). Epidermophyton floccosum was not reported. T. rubrum were more common in men (74.4%) than in women (52.2%), while T. interdigitale and M. incurvatum were more common in women (21.7 and 15.2%) than in men (7.8 and 4.4%). Patients infected with Microsporum spp. had small-sized lesions for only 3 months, while those affected by Trichophyton spp. had large-sized lesions with longer duration. CONCLUSION: Trichophyton species are the predominant agents of infection in Nghean province, while Epidermophyton species is absent. Additional investigations are required to clarify the epidemiological profile of dermatophytes in Vietnam.

Subungual hyperkeratosis nail biopsy: a better diagnostic tool for onychomycosis.

BACKGROUND: Onychomycosis is one of the most common nail disorders. Mycological examination by potassium hydroxide (KOH) mount and fungal culture is the most commonly used diagnostic method. However, it is associated with a low sensitivity. AIMS: To evaluate the technique of subungual hyperkeratosis nail biopsy in diagnosing onychomycosis in HIV-infected and immunocompetent adults and compare it with mycological examination. METHODS: 34 HIV-positive patients who presented clinically with onychomycosis were recruited in the study from the beginning. There was no screening done for patients with onychomycosis. This has been clarified in manuscript under the heading of methods. RESULTS: All the fungal cultures yielded dermatophytes correlating with the biopsy findings. Only hyphal form of fungus was detected in KOH examination, indicating it was not a contaminant. Clinical types of onychomycosis are stated in discussion. CONCLUSIONS: PAS stain of subungual hyperkeratosis nail biopsy was the most sensitive in the diagnosis of onychomycosis in both HIV-infected and non-infected groups.

Epidemiological survey of dermatophytosis in Tehran, Iran, from 2000 to 2005.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous fungal infections are common in Tehran, Iran, and causative organisms include dermatophytes, yeasts and non-dermatophyte molds. The prevalence of superficial mycosis infections has risen to such a level that skin mycoses now affect more than 20-25% of the world's population, making them the most frequent form of infection. AIMS: Our aim was to determine the prevalence of superficial cutaneous fungal infections especially dermatophytosis in our Medical Mycology Laboratory in the Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran. METHODS: A total of 17,573 specimens were collected from clinically suspected tinea corporis, tinea cruris, tinea capitis, tinea faciei, tinea pedis, tinea manuum and finger and toe onychomycosis from 2000 to 2005. Patients were referred to our laboratory for direct examination, fungal culture and identification. The incidence of each species was thus calculated. RESULTS: Dermatophytes remain the most commonly isolated fungal organisms, except from clinically suspected finger onychomycosis, in which case Candida species comprise >7% of the isolates. Epidermophyton floccosum remains the most prevalent fungal pathogen and increased incidence of this species was observed in tinea cruris. Trichophyton tonsurans continues to increase in incidence. CONCLUSION: This study identifies the epidemiologic trends and the predominant organisms causing dermatophytosis in Tehran, Iran. These data can be used to ascertain the past and present trends in incidence, predict the adequacy of our current pharmacologic repertoire and provide insight into future developments. Consideration of the current epidemiologic trends in the incidence of cutaneous fungal pathogens is of key importance to investigational effort, diagnosis and treatment.

Comparison of potassium hydroxide mount and mycological culture with histopathologic examination using periodic acid-Schiff staining of the nail clippings in the diagnosis of onychomycosis.

BACKGROUND: Onychomycosis is a common problem noticed in clinical practice. Currently available standard laboratory methods show inconsistent sensitivity; hence there is a need for newer methods of detection. AIMS: This study involves comparison of standard laboratory tests in the diagnosis of onychomycosis, namely, potassium hydroxide mount (KOH mount) and mycological culture, with histopathologic examination using periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining of the nail clippings. METHODS: A total of 101 patients with clinically suspected onychomycosis were selected. Nail scrapings and clippings were subjected to KOH mount for direct microscopic examination, culture using Sabouraud's dextrose agar (with and without antibiotics) and histopathologic examination with PAS staining (HP/PAS). Statistical analysis was done by McNemar's test. RESULTS: Direct microscopy with KOH mount, mycological culture, and HP/PAS showed positive results in 54 (53%), 35 (35%), and 76 (75%) patients respectively. Laboratory evidence of fungal infection was obtained in 84 samples by at least one of these three methods. Using this as the denominator, HP/PAS had a sensitivity of 90%, which was significantly higher compared to that of KOH mount (64%) or mycological culture (42%). CONCLUSIONS: Histopathologic diagnosis with PAS staining of nail clippings was the most sensitive among the tests. It was easy to perform, rapid, and gave significantly higher rates of detection of onychomycosis compared to the standard methods, namely KOH mount and mycological culture.

Dermatophytosis: association between ABO blood groups and reactivity to the trichophytin / Dermatofitose: associação entre grupos sanguíneos ABO e reatividade à tricofitina

The authors investigated the relationship between dermatophytosis and ABO blood groups through blood typing, identification of isolated dermatophytes and specific cellular immune response of 40 individuals carriers of this mycosis. They verified that the fungus Trichophyton rubrum, isolated from 54.5 percent of the patients, was more frequent in individuals belonging to blood group A. The cellular immune response, evaluated through the trichophytin antigen, was positive in 25 percent of the studied patients; the presence of immediate reactions (30 minutes) was verified in 35 percent. The blood group distribution among patients with dermatophytosis and control groups was, respectively: 47.5 percent X 36 percent in group A, 40 percent X 50 percent in group O, 12.5 percent X 11 percent in group B. Even though the authors have found a higher number of patients belonging to blood group A infected by T. rubrum, these results suggest that there is no statistical evidence that these individuals are more susceptible to dermatophytosis

Os autores investigaram a relação entre dermatofitose e grupos sanguíneos ABO por meio da tipagem sanguínea, identificação de dermatófitos isolados e resposta imune celular específica de 40 indivíduos portadores dessa micose. Verificaram que o fungo Trichophyton rubrum, isolado de 54,5 por cento dos pacientes, era mais frequente em indivíduos pertencentes ao grupo sanguíneo A. A resposta imune celular, avaliada pelo antígeno tricofitina, foi positiva em 25 por cento dos pacientes estudados; a presença de reações imediatas (30 minutos) foi verificada em 35 por cento. A distribuição do grupo sanguíneo entre os pacientes com dermatofitose e grupos controle foi, respectivamente: 47,5 por cento X 36 por cento no grupo A, 40 por cento X 50 por cento no grupo O, 12,5 por cento X 11 por cento no grupo B. Mesmo que os autores encontraram um maior número de pacientes pertencentes ao grupo sanguíneo A infectado por T. rubrum, estes resultados sugerem que não há evidências estatísticas de que esses indivíduos sejam mais suscetíveis à dermatofitose

Dermatofitos isolados en Macu

Obtiveram-se 580 culturas positivas de dermatófitos, correspondentes aos exames micológicos efectuados entre 1986 e início de 1992. Pretende-se, com este estudo prospectivo, efectuar a análise do número, espécies isoladas e localização das lesões, encontradas durante 5 anos no Serviço de Dermatologia do Centro Hospitalar Conde de S. Januiário, em Macau. Encontrou-se uma predominância de Trichophytum rubrum (431), seguido de Trichophytum mentagrophytes (90), e, em muito menor número, por Microspsorum canis (23) e por Epiderm ophytum floccosum (19). O Complexo Microsporum gypseum foi isolado em 6 ocasiões. O Microsporum ferrugineum, o Microsporum audouinii e Trichophytum simii foram espécies isoladas ocasionalmente. O número de tinhas mistas foi de 6, incluindo uma associação de Trichophytum rubrum con Cladosporium sphaerospermun.

Dermatófitos isolados em pacientes do Hospital "Lauro de Souza Lima" Bauru - SP / Isolated dermatophytes in patients at Hospital Lauro de Souza Lima - Bauru - SP

Os autores analisaram 160 amostras de pacientes do hospital Lauro de Souza Lima, Bauru, Estado de Säo Paulo, com o intuito de pesquisa de dermatófitos, na tentativa de estabelecerem os agentes etiológicos e dermatofitoses mais incidentes na regiäo. Fizeram também uma correlaçäo da incidência de dermatófitos nas diversas formas clínicas de hanseniase. Concluiram que o Trichophyton rubrum é o dermatófito mais incidente e o tipo clínico de hanseníase mais incidente é o virchoviano

[Study of the contamination by dermatophytes of a population of small wild mammals in Alsace]. / Etude sur la contamination par les champignons dermatophytes d'une population de petits mammifèrs sauvages in Alsace

Mature fruit-bodies of Coprinus congregatus grown on modified Bille-Hansen medium were obtained with concentrations of glucose ranging from 5 to 40 g/l and asparagine from 0 to 4 g/l; the carbon/nitrogen ratio varying from 13 to 100. When the ratio C/N is too high (above 100), no visible primordium is formed; when this ratio is under 13, numerous primordia are produced, but they never reach maturity. A positive correlation exists between the C2/N ratio and the time required for producing mature fruit-bodies. The best yield for basidiocarps production is reached when the C/N ratio value is around 30 and glucose concentrations range from 10 to 20 g/l.