Fungal infection as a cause of skin disease in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia: cutaneous candidosis.

In the period between April 1984 and April 1988 a total of 4,294 clinically suspected cases of dermatomycoses were examined for causative fungi. Of these cases 174 (4.1%) were suspected as cutaneous candidosis. These cases belonged to 15 different nationalities. Both sexes were involved (122 males and 52 females). Thirty four cases were prepubertal children while 140 were adults. Of these cases 163 had their clinical diagnosis confirmed by direct microscopy and on culture yielded 164 isolates (Candida albicans 161, C. stellatoidea 1 and Trichophyton rubrum 1).

Fungal infection as a cause of skin disease in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia: tinea corporis and tinea cruris.

In the period between April 1984 and April 1988 a total of 4,294 clinically suspected cases of dermatomycoses were examined for causative fungi. Of these cases 768 (17.9%) were suspected as tinea corporis (427 cases) and tinea cruris (341 cases). Twenty two different nationalities were represented. Both sexes were involved and the age range was 19 days to 70 years. Of the 768 patients examined, 738 (96.1%) had their diagnosis confirmed by direct microscopy and in 631 of these positive cases the etiology was determined. Of the 408 patients who had suffered from tinea corporis, 323 isolates were obtained from 313 culturally positive cases. Microsporum canis was the main etiologic agent followed by Trichophyton violaceum, T. mentagrophytes, T. rubrum and Epidermophyton floccosum. Of the 330 patients who had suffered from tinea cruris, 388 isolates were obtained from 318 culturally positive cases and E. floccosum was the main etiologic agent. Next in frequencies were T. rubrum and T. mentagrophytes while Candida albicans was isolated from 45 of 70 patients with mixed isolates. Treatment with topical antifungal agents was effective in most of the cases. Oral griseofulvin in addition to the topical application was found necessary in extensive widespread cases.

Fungal infection as a cause of skin disease in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia: tinea pedis and tinea manuum.

In the period between April 1984 and April 1988 a total of 4294 clinically suspected cases of dermatomycoses were examined for causative fungi. Of these cases 680 were suspected as tinea pedis and tinea manuum. These cases belonged to 21 different nationalities. Both sexes were represented and 649 cases (95.4%) were adults while 31 (4.6%) were prepubertals. Clinical diagnosis was confirmed by direct microscopy in 505 cases or 74.4% (485 adults and 20 prepubertal children). Out of these, 504 cases were positive on culture and yielded 516 isolates. Candida species and other yeasts were responsible for 88.9% and dermatophytes for 11.1% of these infections. The interdigital type of lesions was the most common type (91.9% of all infections) followed by the hyperkeratotic scaling type (6.9%) while the acute inflammatory type was only 1.2% of infections. Treatment showed satisfactory results in most of the cases.

Fungal infection as a cause of skin disease in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia: prevailing fungi and pattern of infection.

A total of 4,294 clinically suspected cases of dermatomycoses belonging to 26 different nationalities were examined between April 1984 and April 1988. Fungi were demonstrated in routine potassium hydroxide/dimethyl sulfoxide mount in 3,814 cases (88.8%) and the etiology was determined by culture in 2,458 cases (57.2%). Tinea versicolor was the predominant fungal infection (30.9% of all infections). Onychomycosis and paronychia ranked second in prevalence (16.8%). Candidal onychomycosis was the most common type of infection. Scalp ringworm among children ranked third (15.3%), Microsporum canis was the main etiologic agent. Tinea pedis and tinea manuum ranked fourth in prevalence (13.2%). Tinea corporis represented 10.7% of infections and M. canis was the main agent. Tinea cruris accounted for 8.7% of infections and Epidermophyton floccosum was the most common agent. Cutaneous candidosis constituted 4.3% of infections. White piedra was seen in 6 cases (0.16%). Yeasts were proved not to be unimportant as a cause of disease of skin and nail in our study.