title: Fungal infection as a cause of skin disease in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia: prevailing fungi and pattern of infection.
abstract: A total of 4,294 clinically suspected cases of dermatomycoses belonging to 26 different nationalities were examined between April 1984 and April 1988. Fungi were demonstrated in routine potassium hydroxide/dimethyl sulfoxide mount in 3,814 cases (88.8%) and the etiology was determined by culture in 2,458 cases (57.2%). Tinea versicolor was the predominant fungal infection (30.9% of all infections). Onychomycosis and paronychia ranked second in prevalence (16.8%). Candidal onychomycosis was the most common type of infection. Scalp ringworm among children ranked third (15.3%), Microsporum canis was the main etiologic agent. Tinea pedis and tinea manuum ranked fourth in prevalence (13.2%). Tinea corporis represented 10.7% of infections and M. canis was the main agent. Tinea cruris accounted for 8.7% of infections and Epidermophyton floccosum was the most common agent. Cutaneous candidosis constituted 4.3% of infections. White piedra was seen in 6 cases (0.16%). Yeasts were proved not to be unimportant as a cause of disease of skin and nail in our study.
authors.affiliation: Directorate of Health Affairs, Ministry of Health, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: al-Sogair
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Moawad
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: al-Humaidan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014010:Tinea Versicolor / Q000453:epidemiology