molecular epidemiological survey of clinically important dermatophytes in Iran based on specific RFLP profiles of betatubulin gene

Surveillance of dermatophytosis is essential to determine the likely changes in etiological trends and distribution profile of this infection. In this study beta tubulin gene [BT2], was used as the first time in a PCR-RFLP format to clarify the distribution of dermatophytosis agents in some parts of Iran. A total of 603 clinical isolates was obtained from 500 patients in Tehran, Isfahan, Mazandaran and Guilan provinces. The isolates were identified using macro/micro-morphological criteria and electrophoretic patterns of PCR amplicons of BT2 after digestion with each of the restriction enzymes. FatI, Hpy CH4V, MwoI and Alw21L. Among the patients, 59.2% were male and 40.8% female. The most prevalent clinical form was tinea pedis [42.4%], followed by tinea cruris [24.2%], tinea unguium [12.3%], tinea corporis [10.8%], tinea faciei [4%], tinea manuum [3.14%], tinea capitis [3%] and tinea barbae [0.16%], respectively. Trichophyton interdigitale ranked the first, followed by T.rubrum, Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum canis, T. tonsurans, T. erinacei and T. violaceum [each 0.49%] and the less frequent species were T. schoenleinii, M. gypseum and T. anamorph of Arthroderma benhamiae [each 0.16%]. A case of scalp infection by E. floccosum was an exceptional event in the study. No case of T.verrucosum was found. Trichophyton species and E. floccosum are yet the predominant agents of infection in Iran, while Microsporum species are decreasing. T.interdigitale and Tinea pedis remain as the most causal agent and clinical form of dermatophytosis, respectively. it seems that BT2 can be a useful genetic marker for epidemiological survey of common pathogenic dermatophytes

[ effect of ketoconazole 2% solution in comparison with ketoconazole 2% shampoo on clinical signs and malassezia yeasts in seborrhoeic dermatitis patients]

Seborrhoeic dermatitis [SD] is a common skin disorder. Malassezia yeasts have an important role in the etiology of SD. Since anti-fungal agents, especially in azoles are effective for treating SD, in this study, the effect of ketoconazole 2% solution on clinical signs and Malassezia in SD patients were assayed. 100 patients with SD were enrolled in this study. Patients were scored in regard to the severity of lesions at the initial evaluation and every 2 weeks for a 1 month period. Microscopic examination and culture of patients scale in days 0 and 28 were used for isolation and identification of Malassezia species. Patients were divided into two groups [ketoconazole 2% solution and shampoo] and followed after 14 and 28 days, and then clinical response was graded. 58% of patients showed lesions on their heads. In day 0, 51% of patients showed > 7 yeasts in each microscopic field. 77% of scale samples were positive to Malassezia spp. Growth and M. globosa [57.1%] had the most frequency. In day 28, 89.6% and 82.6% of treated patients with solution and shampoo showed 1-3 yeast in within entire smear, respectively. 94.8% and 82.6% of scale samples were negative to Malassezia spp growth, respectively. In day 0, patients with moderate SI had the most prevalence, whereas in day 28, patients with mild SI were predominant. Statistical test showed the correlation is significance only between SI and treatment with solution. The results of our study showed that according to decrease of yeast load and increase of improvement of SD signs after treatment with ketoconazole 2% solution, compared with ketoconazole 2% shampoo, 2% ketoconazole solution can be considered as an appropriate agent in treatment of Sd