RESUMO
We cultured 15 isolates of Trichophyton rubrum and one isolate of Trichophyton mentagrophytes from an 82-year-old male tinea patient with multiple lesions. To determine whether feet lesions were the source of dermatophytes of other tinea lesions, we extracted total cellular DNA from the T. rubrum isolatesï¼13 from feet, two from right waist and buttockï¼. PCR targeting the non-transcribed spacerï¼NTSï¼region of ribosomal RNA gene was performed. Molecular polymorphisms were detected by length variation of amplicons.Four molecular types were found among the 15 isolates. The predominant type, which we previously named Type III, comprised seven isolates cultured from both feet and from left waist and buttock. This was followed by Type VI, five isolates; Type V, two isolates; and Type IV, one isolate. Apart from type III, which was cultured from both feet, isolates were cultured from one foot only. The patient was successfully treated for all types with a six-month course of oral terbinafine and topical luliconazole. The molecular typing supported the notion that tinea pedis was the source of tinea corporis in the patient.