A STUDY ON IDENTIFICATION AND ISOLATION OF DERMATOPHYTE INFECTION IN PATIENTS ATTENDING IN THE DERMATOLOGY OPD IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Fungal infections are very common in human beings, especially cutaneous fungal infections in which supercial keratinized tissue of the stratum corneum of the skin, hair and nail are involved by a group of specialized fungi known as Dermatophytes and the condition is known as Dermatophytosis. These dermatophytes use keratin as a nitrogen source. Dermatophytes produce only supercial infections of the skin and its appendages without involving the deeper tissue or the internal organs.AIM OFPROPOSED RESEARCH General objectives This study is to determine the proportion and distribution pattern of the etiological agents of dermatophytosis among the clinically suspected cases, attending the dermatology OPD of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital with specic dermatological complaints, taking into account, the different parameters like age, sex, occupation of the patient, associated relevant co-morbidity if any, socio- economic condition and nature of the dermatological condition. MATERIALAND METHODS Study design: Observational, Cross sectional, Hospital based study. Study setting and time lines: Submission of thesis synopsis - within 30th November 2017. Data collection: After approval by the ethical committee, data was collected for the next 1year. Data analysis and submission is done in following 6 months. Place of study: Department of Microbiology and department of Dermatology at Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital Kolkata (WB) Period of study: One year from March 2018 to March 2019 Study population: Clinically suspected cases with specic dermatological complaints attending the dermatology OPD of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital.Sample Size/Design Sample Size: Altogether 200 samples (approximately) including nail, skin scrapings and hair samples.RESULTS AND ANALYSIS Our study showed that out of 200 clinically suspected cases, 112 were male and 88 were female, 153 were KOH positive and 47 were KOH negative, and 125 found to be suggestive for dermatophyte of different species, on cultivation. Remaining 75 were either contaminant, fungi of other than dermatophytes like aspergillus yeast cells malasagia furfur etc or did not show any positive reports on KOH mount preparation and growth on culture media. CONCLUSIONS The most common clinical type was tinea corporis followed by tinea cruris and tinea pedis and overall predominance in the study was female with 16-55 being most affected age group. T. verrucosum forms the commonest etiological agent of dermatophytosis, which were mostly isolated from Tinea corporis, Tinea cruris Tinea unguinum,and Tinea manuum. Possible cause of dermatophytic infection in lower socioeconomic groups were due to more exposed to the infections and because of their lack of awareness as well as poorer knowledge on hygiene on fungal infection and its preventive measures.