A study of dermatophytosis in medical college hospital, Bellary

Abstract

Fungal infections are extremely common in the tropical regions. Dermatophytes are one of the commonest causes of skin infections. Although common, the precise size of the problem defies measurement. Aim of this study was to isolate and identify the dermatophytic agents from clinical samples from patients with different clinical types. Clinical samples from 180 patients were subjected to potassium hydroxide (KOH) examination and culture isolation; causative agents were identified macroscopically and microscopically. Out of 180 specimens, 112 (62.2%) were KOH positive and 68 (37.8%) were positive by culture technique. Trichophyton rubrum was the commonest isolate in skin samples among the patients suffering from dermatophytosis, followed by T. mentagrophytes. The study signifies the importance of mycological examination [both KOH & culture] in the diagnosis of dermatophytosis for their effective management.