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Abstract

Dermatophytosis is an infection of the skin, hair or nails caused by a group of keratinophillic fungus called "Dermatophytes".In tropical countries superficial fungal infections are among the world's most common diseases.It has become a significant health problem affecting children, old age adolescents and adults.The present study was undertaken to find out the clinical pattern of dermatophytosis, to know the most prevalent dermatophyte species in our set up and to correlate its association with other clinical presentation.Samples from affected lesions of 143 clinically diagnosed dermatophyte patients were collected and examined by microscopy and culture.Identification of fungal isolates were done by study of colony characteristics, slide culture and LCB mount.Chi square test was used for statistical analysis wherever appropriate.Dermatophytosis was found to be commonest in agricultural workers.Commonest age group affected is between 31-45 years.Males outnumbered females in the ratio 2:1.Tinea Corporis was the commonest lesion (46.85%), followed by Tinea Unguium (27.27%) and Tinea Pedis (11.18%).Maximum dermatophytes were isolated from Tinea corporis cases.Direct microscopy revealed fungal elements in 45.45% cases of which 52.3% were positive in culture.T. rubrum was the commonest etiological agent (45.16%), followed by T. mentagrophytes (29.03%), T. schoenleinii (9.67%), T. tonsurans (9.67%) 7 M. oudouinii (5.88%).T. rubrum was found to be the most common isolate from multiple sites.