Abstract :
Background: Dermatophytosis is the most important group of superficial fungal infections caused by
dermatophytes and clinical manifestations vary depending on the causal agent and on the host immune
response. The present study was undertaken to assess the clinical profile of dermatophytic infections and
to identify the causative fungal species in various clinical presentations among the patients attending the
dermatology department of Katuri Medical College and Hospital, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
Materials and Methods: A Hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted at Katuri Medical College
and Hospital, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh where suspected cases of dermatophytosis attending the outpatient
department of Dermatology, KMC & H, Chinakondrupadu, Guntur conducted during January 2018 to May
2019. Specimen collected was subjected to potassium-hydroxide (KOH) wet preparation (10% KOH for
skin and hair; 40% KOH for nail)the specimen was inoculated into a test tube containing Sabouraud’s
dextrose agar with 0.05% chloramphenicol and 0.5% cycloheximide.
Results: Out of 163 cases, 73 (44.79%) were males and 90 (55.21%) were females. Male-to-female ratio
was 0.81:1. Majority of the patients belonged to the age group of 31 – 40 years. Tinea corporis was the
most common clinical type observed among 95 cases (58.28%). Mixed dermatophytosis was observed in
54(33.13%) cases. Out of which majority were T corporis T cruris (66.67%) clinical types. 33.12% of the
cases showed culture positive isolates. T. mentagrophytes was the commonest (78.8%) isolate identified in
Culture medium.
Conclusion: Tinea corporis was the most common clinical type observed in the present study. T.
mentagrophytes was the commonest (78.8%) isolate identified in culture medium.
Keyword :
Trichophyton, Microsporum, Epidermophyton.