ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2012 June;147(3):315-9

Copyright © 2012 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Epidemiology of dermatophytoses in Crete, Greece between 2004 and 2010

Maraki S. ✉

Department of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

Aim. The present work was undertaken in order to study the epidemiology of dermatophytoses in the island of Crete, Greece, over a 7-year period (2004-2010) and to compare the results with those reported earlier from this region and from other parts of the world.
Methods. A total of 3236 clinical specimens obtained from 2674 patients with signs of dermatomycoses were examined by direct micropscopy and culture.
Results. Overall, 392 specimens (12.1%) were proved mycologically positive for dermatophytes. The age of the patients ranged from 2 to 90 years (mean age, 41 years). Onychomycosis was the predominant clinical type of infection, followed by tinea pedis, tinea corporis, tinea capitis, tinea faciei, tinea manuum and tinea cruris. Among dermatophytes, nine species were isolated: Trichophyton rubrum (51%), Microsporum canis (18.9%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale (18.4%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes (5.1%), Epidermophyton floccosum (3.6%), Microsporum gypseum (1.5%), Trichophyton violaceum (0.8%), Trichophyton verrucosum (0.5%) and Trichophyton tonsurans (0.2%).
Conclusion. In our area, the most common dermatophyte was T. rubrum followed by M. canis. Epidemiological studies regarding the current prevalence of dermatophytes in a certain region are needed for the appropriate managment of these infections and implementation of effective prevention and control measures.