Characteristics of superficial mycoses in Malta.
BACKGROUND
A study was conducted to determine the chief agents of superficial mycoses in Malta. Data were collected over a 5-year period from mycologic investigations carried out on all dermatologic specimens sent to the Mycology Laboratory at St. Luke's Hospital in Malta.


METHODS
In the period between January 1995 and December 1999, a total of 1271 specimens from skin, nails, or hair were collected from 1200 clinically suspected cases of dermatomycoses.


RESULTS
The fungi cultivated included dermatophytes (n = 371), yeasts (n = 33), and nondermatophyte filamentous fungi (n = 12). Trichophyton rubrum (n = 121) was the most prevalent, followed by Microsporum canis (n = 109), T. mentagrophytes (n = 80), M. gypseum (n = 27), Epidermophyton floccosum (n = 17), T. soudanense (n = 10), T. tonsurans (n = 2), T. verrucosum (n = 2), M. persicolor (n = 1), and T. violaceum (n = 1). Candida species were also cultivated, with C. parapsilosis (n = 14) being the most common, followed by C. albicans (n = 12) and C. tropicalis (n = 6). Nondermatophyte filamentous fungi were isolated from nail specimens only.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, superficial fungal infections were reported more commonly in female (n = 207) than in male (n = 182) patients. M. canis was the chief agent of tinea capitis and tinea corporis, whilst T. rubrum was the main causative agent of tinea pedis, tinea manuum, and tinea unguium. Onychomycosis due to Candida species was more common in female than in male patients.
Vella Zahra
Loranne
L
Medical School, Mycology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, St. Luke's Hospital, G'Mangia, Malta. azalea@digigate.net
Gatt
Paul
P
Boffa
Michael J
MJ
Borg
Eileen
E
Mifsud
Edwin
E
Scerri
Lawrence
L
Vella Briffa
Dino
D
Pace
Joseph L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003883:Arthrodermataceae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008319:Malta / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015003:Yeasts / Q000302:isolation & purification*