Clinico – mycological profiles of dermatophytoses in a tertiary care rural hospital

Background & Objectives - Dermatophytosis is one of the commonest cutaneous infections and prevalence of different species varies with different geographical locations. The present study was undertaken to detect the etiological agents of Dermatophytosis up to species level by microscopy and culture, in a tertiary care rural hospital of Maharashtra. Methods – Patients, who attended the outdoor patients department of a tertiary care rural hospital with skin problems, were included in this cross sectional study. Specimens, such as, hairs, nails and skin scraping were collected from suspected cases. Direct microscopy using potassium hydroxide preparation and culture on Saboraud’s dextrose agar and dermatophytes test agar media were done. Isolates were identified up to species level following conventional methods. Results – Total 150 specimens were processed for dermatophytes from suspected cases of Dermatophytosis. Culture positive cases were 91(60.67%). Trichophyton rubrum (T rubrum) was the commonest isolate, i.e., 50(33.33%). Male, female ratio was 4:1. Age group 21 – 30 was most commonly involved. The most prevalent clinical type was Tinea corporis (42%). Conclusion – Dermatophytosis is not uncommon in our setup. Early diagnosis is essential to prevent transmission of infection. Identification up to species level is necessary because some dermatophytes are resistant to azole derivatives