A study of superficial fungal infections with its clinico-mycological correlations in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Infectious diseases involving skin and mucosal surfaces become a serious problem due to their lack of sanitation and awareness in people. The prime pathogens responsible for these skin infections are fungi. These fungi parasitize keratin-rich tissues, causing dermal inflammatory response and purities. The causative fungi rarely invade deeper anatomical sites, preferring to colonize the cornfield layer of the epidermis or suprafollicular areas of hair. Main reason, which favors the fungal infection, might be the hot and humid climate. This could be due to the frequent use of antibiotics, immunosuppressive drugs, and various conditions such as organ transplantation, leukemia, and HIV infections
Methodology: Using standard mycological techniques, samples were collected for microscopy and culture. For hair and nail examination, a 40% potassium hydroxide (KOH) wet mount was used, and a 10% KOH wet mount was used for skin scraping.Lacto phenol cotton blue stain was used to identify microscopic examinations of fungal growth.
Result: The highest number of cases were seen in the age group of 26-45 years (36.65%), followed by 46 years (32.17%). The total number of positive KOH mounts for fungal infection was found to be 38.69 percent. SDA culture medium whereas 158 (68.69%) samples showed no growth. Tinea corporis (49 percent) was found to be the most common type of clinical presentation.
Conclusion: The study concludes that, in addition to dermatophytes, dermatomycotic fungi are emerging as an important cause of superficial mycoses.