Clinical and mycological features of dermatophytosis in renal transplant recipients.

Dermatophytosis was detected in 42% of 100 renal transplant recipients screened, of whom 17% had the infection for more than 1 year. Tinea cruris and tinea corporis were the common clinical types observed. Tinea unguium presented as proximal subungual white onychomycosis (PSWO) in 3% of patients. The lesions in the majority were non-inflammatory, scaly and without central clearance. The commonest isolate was Trichophyton rubrum.

Deep dermatophytosis caused by Trichophyton rubrum--a case report.

A case of deep dermatophytosis in the gluteal region in a male patient successfully treated with terbinafine is described with its clinical, mycological and histopathological features.

Entomophthoromycosis in India--a 4-year study.

Ten cases of entomophthoromycosis encountered in a period of 4 years in Tamilnadu are reported. Basidiobolomycosis accounted for eight cases and was seen predominantly in children. Two cases of conidiobolomycosis were seen in elderly patients. Potassium iodide was the drug of choice in the treatment of entomophthoromycosis. All our patients, except one, responded with complete resolution of their lesions.

Scenario of chronic dermatophytosis: an Indian study.

Chronic dermatophytosis was observed in 2276 (10.02%) of 22,692 patients with dermatophytosis during a period of 5.5 years. Males were affected at least 3 times more frequently than females. The age group most commonly affected was between 20 and 40 years of age. Females were affected more between the ages of 30 to 40 years. Tinea cruris and tinea corporis were the most common clinical types and tinea pedis was the least common type observed. The most frequent isolate was Trichophyton rubrum followed by T. mentagrophytes and T. violaceum. Ichthyosis vulgaris was the most common cutaneous association whereas atopy and diabetes mellitus were the most common systemic associations.

Neurofibroma occurring in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Two female patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis presented with the complaint of papular skin lesions over the dorsal aspect of hands. Histopathological examination of papules showed the features of neurofibroma.

Chloroquine-induced photosensitive dermatoses.

Two female patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis were put on chloroquine 250 mg bid. After a period of 4 weeks, both of them developed photosensitive dermatitis. Following withdrawal of chloroqunie, both of them showed improvement in dermatitis gradually over a period of 3-4 months.

Effect of socio-economic status on the prevalence of dermatophytosis in Madras.

A total of 462 patients living in varying socio-economic conditions were screened for tinea infection. 372/462 (70.7%) were found to be culture positive for dermatophytes. Trichophyton rubrum was the most frequently isolated dermatophyte. 35% of the infected cases were from the very low income group (group-I), 34.2% from low income group (group-II), 23.3% from middle income group (group-III) and 1.8% from moderately rich group (group-IV). Recurrent, chronic and extensive dermatophytosis were found to be most common in group-I (20.3%) and group-II (17.8%), whereas localized infections were common in group-IV (66.6%) and group-III (65.7%). Recurrence chronicity were more frequent in tinea cruris and tinea corporis. The present study suggests that group-I and group-II may be the likely reservoirs of human ringworm infections in Madras.

Paronychia and black discoloration of a thumb nail caused by Curvularia lunata.

Chronic paronychia associated with black discoloration of the left thumb nail in a 51 year old female caused by Curvularia lunata is reported for the first time. The keratolytic activity of the fungus in the nail and its complete clearance by topical clotrimazole are reported.

Genetics of hairy ears in south Indians.

Of 500 individuals screened at the Out-Patient Clinic, Mycology Section of the Department of Dermatology, Government General Hospital, Madras, 83 adult males (16.6%) and two adult females (0.4%) had hairy ears. Family study in five probands (three males and two females) suggests an autosomal-dominant sex-limited inheritance of this entity, probably linked to the genes for beard hairs, which is peculiar to males in South India and Sri Lanka. There has been an increased incidence of diabetes mellitus in the affected group. A control study made in a similar population of 1030 (680 male and 350 female) individuals attending the general medical and surgical out-patient clinics revealed hairy ears in 23.1% (237 male adults and one female adult).

Cutaneous trichosporosis.

Of 269 patients with cutaneous trichosporosis a majority of 170 (63.2%) showed the infection as intertrigo in the genitocrural and perianal areas. The predominant symptoms were itching and burning. Trichosporosis has been found to be less common in the other sites. Trichosporosis due to Trichosporon beigelii should be kept in mind as one of the differential diagnosis in cases of genitocrural intertrigo and other cutaneous infections by fungi and bacteria in the tropics.

A clinico-pathological study of actinomycotic mycetomas caused by Actinomadura madurae and Actinomadura pelletierii.

Twenty seven cases of actionomycotic mycetoma caused either by Actinomadura madurae or Actinomadura pelletierii have been described. Infection by A. madurae has been more common than A. pelletierii. Left foot in A. madurae and right foot in A. pelletierii infections were involved more commonly in adult males, whereas right foot of the females was frequently affected in A. madurae infection. Large, soft, white grains in A. madurae and small, firm, red grains in A. pelletierii were consistently seen. Deep hematoxylin stained grains with scalloped margin and prominent eosinophilic club in A. madurae and such deep stained grains with smooth margin and horizontal cracks appearing as portions of a spherical mass in A. pelletierri were diagnostic. Large numbers of plasma cells and Russel bodies were also characteristic of A. madurae infection. Both the grains were stainable with Von Kossa method for calcium. Bone changes were similar in both the infections. Oral tetracycline produced soft tissue and bone resolution to almost normalcy in those who regularly consumed the drug any time from 2 to 6 years. Mild glucose intolerance, facial hyperpigmentation and urticaria were the side effects observed in a few. Two patients developed cataract following tetracycline therapy. The value of medical therapy with oral tetracycline in Actionomadura mycetomas is emphasized.

Muscle invasion by Basidiobolus haptosporus.

Invasion of muscle tissue in addition to dermis and subcutaneous tissue by Basidiobolus haptosporus is reported in a 40-year-old female housewife. This infection followed intramuscular injection injury of the right gluteal region. Oral KI cured the condition completely in 6 months. Intramuscular implantation of B. haptosporus by the injection needle is the probable mode of infection in this case. Possible blood vessel invasion seen in histology suggests the possibility of dissemination of the fungus.