title: Incidence of dermatophytosis in a public hospital of São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo State, Brazil.
abstract: The incidence of cases of dermatophytosis in dermatology outpatient departments has increased in recent years. Infection control is essential to prevent transmission, and accurate diagnosis of this type of infection is important to avoid confusion with other dermatological processes caused by non-fungal agents. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of dermatophytosis and its etiological agents in a public hospital of São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil. From February 2005 to May 2006, 273 samples were collected from 191 patients in a public dermatology outpatient department. The samples were collected according to conventional methods used in clinical mycology and direct examinations and cultures were performed. Of the samples suspected of fungal infection, 19% produced positive cultures, and the largest number of samples was from female patients between 31 and 40 years old. The most commonly infected area was the toenails, and the most common infective agents according to microscopic analysis and biochemical tests were the Candida species, which were responsible for 61.6% of the infections. These data agree with findings reported in the literature indicating a lower prevalence of filamentous fungi, such as Epidermophyton, Trichophyton, and Microsporum, in dermatomycosis.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas Biológicas, Universidade Metodista de São Paulo, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pelegrini
authors.forename: Juliana Possatto
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Carolina de Queiroz Moreira
authors.initials: Cde Q
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Rosemeire Bom
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Pessoni
authors.forename: Marta Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Souza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005533:Foot Dermatoses / Q000453:epidemiology; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000453:epidemiology; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014009:Onychomycosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012536:Scalp Dermatoses / Q000453:epidemiology; D015003:Yeasts / Q000302:isolation & purification