Dermatophytes and skin dermatophytoses in Southeast Asia-First epidemiological survey from Cambodia.

BACKGROUND: Dermatomycoses count to the most frequent dermatoses in Cambodia. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this survey was to investigate the occurrence of dermatophytes in this Southeast Asian country. METHODS: From June 2017 to July 2018, skin scrapings were taken from 67 patients with superficial dermatophytosis for mycological diagnostics. Identification of dermatophytes was confirmed by sequencing of the 'internal transcribed spacer'-(ITS) region of the rDNA, and the gene of the Translation Elongation Factor (TEF)-1α. RESULTS: Patients were suffering from tinea corporis and tinea inguinalis/cruris 42/67 (63%), tinea capitis/faciei 14/67 (21%), tinea corporis/capitis/faciei 6/67 (9%), tinea manuum/pedis 2/67 (3%), tinea pedis 2/67 (3%) and tinea manuum 1/67 (1%). Both, by culture and/or PCR, a dermatophyte was detected in 52 (78%) out of 67 samples. Culture positive were 42 (81%) of 52, PCR positive were 50 (96%). The following dermatophytes were found: Trichophyton (T.) rubrum, 36/52 strains (69%, 29 by culture), T. mentagrophytes/T. interdigitale (TM/TI) 9/52 (17%, six by culture) and Microsporum (M.) canis 5/52 strains (10%, by culture). One strain of Nannizzia (N.) incurvata 1/52 (2%) and N. nana 1/52 (2%) was isolated. Based on sequencing, we demonstrated that two T. mentagrophytes strains out of the nine TM/TI represented the new ITS genotype XXV Cambodia. We found one T. mentagrophytes strain genotype VIII (now, reclassified as T. indotineae). This isolate was terbinafine resistant, and it exhibited the amino acid substitution Phe397Leu in the squalene epoxidase. Three strains of T. interdigitale genotype II* were isolated. CONCLUSION: This is the first survey on epidemiology of dermatophytes in Cambodia. Currently, T. rubrum represents the most frequent species in Cambodia. One Indian strain genotype VIII T. mentagrophytes was found. A highlight was the first description of the new T. mentagrophytes genotype XXV Cambodia.

[Zoophilic dermatophytes during coronavirus pandemic in Germany]. / Zoophile Dermatophyten während der Corona-Pandemie in Deutschland.

During the coronavirus pandemic, significantly more pets were probably bought and kept. This study focuses on whether more zoophilic dermatophytes have subsequently been isolated and which species predominate. In the 1­year period from March 2020 through February 2021, all zoophilic dermatophytes from all submissions to the Mölbis laboratory were recorded. Both the cultural and the molecular evidence of fungal detection from skin scrapings, hair roots, and, in single cases, from nails, were considered. For dermatophyte DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) detection, an in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) - enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used. In distinct cases, identification of dermatophytes was confirmed by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rDNA, and of the gene of the translation elongation factor (TEF)-1α. In 579 (2.56%) of 22,575 samples studied in the year 2020/2021, zoophilic dermatophytes were detectable with PCR-ELISA and/or by cultivation. In comparison, the proportion of zoophilic dermatophytes was 2.03% in the 1­year period 2014/2015, and only 1.6% in 2018/2019. The 579 zoophilic dermatophytes were identified as follows: Trichophyton (T.) benhamiae 186 (32.1%), T. mentagrophytes 173 (29.9%), T. quinckeanum 110 (19.0%), Microsporum (M.) canis 78 (13.5%), T. verrucosum 22 (3.8%), Nannizzia (N.) persicolor 8 (1.4%), T. erinacei 1 (0.2%), and T. equinum 1 (0.2%). T. benhamiae had the highest prevalence from June to September 2020, then again in December. T. quinckeanum is associated with a sharp increase in the mice population in Germany in 2020; a significant increase was found in the months September 2020 to January 2021. T. mentagrophytes had a conspicuous peak in September. Compered with that M. canis in November. Up to 50% of the dermatophytoses caused by T. mentagrophytes, T. quinckeanum, and M. canis affected children and adolescents, while in the case of T. benhamiae it was as much as two thirds. Tinea corporis was the most common, followed by tinea faciei and tinea capitis. M. canis infections affected the capillitium more frequently than the face. Zoophilic dermatophytes were increasingly isolated during the coronavirus pandemic in Germany when compared to previous year periods. In first place, the dermatophyte T. benhamiae from guinea pigs was found in children and adolescents. A significant proportion of dermatophytoses concerned adults. T. quinckeanum is an emerging pathogen in Germany with unprecedented high infection rates in 2020.