Clinico-mycological profile of dermatophytosis in a reference centre for leprosy and dermatological diseases in Addis Ababa.
To assess the clinical and fungal species spectrum of dermatophyte infection in a reference centre in Addis Ababa, 539 dermatological patients with signs of dermatophytosis were investigated. Seventy-one percent were female and 29% male, aged 2-66 years (median 9). Four hundred-fifteen (77%) had at least one skin lesion. Tinea capitis was diagnosed in 138/155 males (89%) as compared to 214/384 females (40%) (p < 0.05). T. capitis was diagnosed in 69% of the 374 children. Fingernails were affected in 132/145 (91%) of onychomycosis, 118 (90%) of these patients were females and 14 males (p < 0.05). Tinea corporis was observed in 45, and other types of tinea in 12 patients. Thirty-six percent of all patients had also other skin lesions, mostly impetigo. Of 490 cultured samples 364 (74%) grew dermatophytes: Trichophyton violaceum in 84%, Trichophyton verrucosum in 9.6%, Trichophyton tonsurans in 1.4% and T. rubrum in 0.5%. Additionally, 15 isolates were identified as white variants of T. violaceum, in 3 cases confirmed by sequencing of the rDNA ITS 2 region. T. capitis in young males and T. unguium of fingernails in females were the most common manifestations of dermatophytosis in Addis Ababa, usually caused by T.violaceum.
Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
Y
Y
Woldeamanuel
R
R
Leekassa
E
E
Chryssanthou
Y
Y
Mengistu
B
B
Petrini
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D014005:Tinea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014249:Trichophyton / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*
D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer