The Frequency of Tinea Pedis in Patients with Tinea Cruris / 대한의진균학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There have been many studies about concurrent infection with tinea cruris and tinea pedis as a part of dermatophytosis in Korea. However, few studies have been reported about actual percentage regarding the frequency of tinea pedis in patients with tinea cruris and comparison of the causative organisms in the groin and foot. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of tinea pedis in patients with tinea cruris and the causative organisms in the groin and foot. METHODS: We examined clinical characteristics, frequency of tinea cruris, and causative organism on one hundred and eight nine cases with tinea cruris at the department of dermatology, Dongguk University Hospital from September 2000 to August 2005. RESULTS: The ratio of male to female patients was 10.81. Besides most of them were between the twenties and forties. Most (74.6%) of them involved both sites of the groin. Duration of tinea cruris was the most common within one year. The frequency of tinea pedis in patients with tinea cruris was 85.7%. Most of them (69.1%), duration of tinea pedis was longer than that of tinea cruris. One hundred and thirty nine dermatophytes were isolated from 189 patients with tinea cruris. They were Trichophyton(T.) rubrum (89.2%), T. mentagrophytes (7.2%), and Epidermophyton floccosum (3.6%). Of one hundred and sixty two patients with both tinea cruris and tinea pedis, 52 patients (32.1%) had same species and only four patients (2.5%) had different species in the groin and foot. CONCLUSION: Because of the high incidence of concurrent infection with tinea cruris and tinea pedis, we suggest the need of a careful mycological examination for foot in patients with tinea cruris.