[Surveillance of dermatophytosis and the causative agents among children referred to pasteur institute of Iran from 2005 to 2006]

ABSTRACT

Superficial fungal infections of the skin, including the dermatophytosis, are a public health problem. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of fungal infections and identify the causative agents of dermatophytosis and other related factors in children in Tehran, Iran. In this descriptive study a total of 984 children aged 2 months to 14 years, who were referred to the Medical Mycology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, in Tehran, in 2005 and 2006, were surveyed for the presence of dermatophytosis infections. All children were referred with a dermatological disorder, for direct examination, fungal culture and identification, and the incidence of each species was calculated. In this study 264 cases were positive for fungal infections. The patients comprised of 182 male and 82 female. This study found a high prevalence of tinea corporis [51.7%] and tinea capitis [36.8%] in the population studied, with high proportions of Trichophyton tonsurans. The most frequently isolated etiological agent was Trichophyton tonsurans [44%], followed by Trichophyton verrucosum [19.6%]. Epidermophyton floccosum [10.5%], Microsporum canis [6.75%] and Trichophyton violaceum [6.75%], Trichophyton rubrum [4.8%], and Trichophyton mentagrophytes [4.8%], and Trichophyton schoenIeinii [2.8%] infections occurred sporadically among patients. A male preponderance [69%] was observed. In the present study 19.7% of our patients participated in wrestling. Our experience has confirmed previous observations that during recent years there has been an increase in incidence of dermatophytosis due to Trichophyton tonsurans, in children. Consequently, development of infection control programs can be a challenging task. These findings suggest that further measures regarding public health and personal hygiene have to be taken to reduce the risk of dermatophytosis in Iran