title: Mycological pattern of dermatophytosis in and around shimla hills.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dermatophytosis is defined as the fungal infection of the skin, hair and nails by a group of keratinophillic fungi known as dermatophytes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study is an attempt to find out various species of dermatophytes in clinically suspected cases of dermatophytosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred samples were subjected to direct microscopy by potassium hydroxide wet mount (KOH) and isolation on culture with Sabourauds dextrose agar.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of these 80 (80%) samples were KOH positive while 20 (20%) were KOH negative. Overall culture positivity rate was 68%. Dermatophytosis was more common in males, the M:F ratio was 4:1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Total seven species were isolated on culture. Trichophyton rubrum (66.17%) was the commonest isolate followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes (19.11%), Trichophyton violaceum (7.35%), Trichophyton tonsurans (2.94%) and one isolate each of Epidermophyton floccosum and Microsporum gypseum (1.47%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, IGMC, Shimla, India.
authors.forename: Suruchi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhagra
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, IGMC, Shimla, India.
authors.forename: Sunite A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ganju
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, IGMC, Shimla, India.
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanga
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatovenerology, RPGMC, Tanda, India.
authors.forename: Nand Lal
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, IGMC, Shimla, India.
authors.forename: Ramesh C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Guleria
keywords: Dermatophytosis; Epidermophyton; Microsporum; Trichophyton