Original article
English
Sivakumar N 1, Karthikeyan A 2, Santhamani AV 3, Sasikumar D 4, Aljarari NMH 5
1-Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, 7th April University, Al-Gomail, Libya; 2-Department of Microbiology, J.J. College of Arts and Science, Pudukkottai, India; 3-Department of Microbiology, MES Medical College, Perintalmanna, Kerala, India; 4-Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Arab Medical University, Benghazi, Libya. 5-Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Arab Medical University, Benghazi, Libya.
Libyan J Infect Dis. 2009;3(2):13-18
Abstract
Objectives: The present study sets out to highlight the prevalence of etiological agents in superficial mycoses such as dermatophytoses and pityriasis versicolor with different age groups, sex and socioeconomic classes.
Methods: Samples taken from 91 clinically suspected cases were examined for Tinea rubrum, T. mentogrophyhtes, T. violaceum, Malassezia sp, Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum nanum, Candida sp and non-dermatophytes. Also the cases were investigated regarding sex, age, address, occupation, duration of illness and sites of infection.
Results: Among the cases analysed for supermycoses the maximum number of patients was found to be in the age group of 20- 30 years and the male to female ratio being 1:1.8. In cases of pityriasis versicolor, the commonest site of involvement was neck. Tinea corporis was the most common clinical presentation of dermatophytosis. Significant differences were found in the detection of causative fungi by microscopic and culture studies and were recorded as 42 and 64 out of 91 cases, respectively. The most frequently isolated fungus was T. rubrum. Similarly dermatophytes and non-dermatophytes were detected in 45,11, 2, and 6 cases, respectively.
Conclusion: On the basis of current results, the epidemiological characteristics of dermatophytes indicate no significant difference in the distribution of various species of dermatophytes in Kerala as compared to other parts of India.
Keywords: Superficial mycoses, dermatophytoses, pityriasis versicolor, etiological agents.
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