Vol. 1, Issue 5 (2012)

Author(s):
Kukkala Seetharamaraju and Lysetty Rajendra Prasad

Abstract:
Background and Objectives: Dermatophytosis, a common superficial fungal infection, affects the skin, hair, and nails, causing a lot of pain and coming back often. The rising prevalence of antifungal resistance in dermatophytes has emerged as a significant concern in therapeutic therapy. This study sought to identify the dermatophyte species isolated from individuals with fungal infections and to assess their antifungal susceptibility profiles against frequently employed antifungal medications. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was performed on 50 patients clinically diagnosed with dermatophytosis, who attended the dermatology outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital over a 12-month period. This study was conducted at the department of Microbiology, Sardar Rajas Medical College and Hospital, Bhawanipatna, Odisha from May 2011 to April 2012. Aseptically collected skin scrapings, hair, and nail samples were treated with a 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) mount for microscopic analysis, and then cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) with chloramphenicol and cycloheximide. The identification of dermatophytes was conducted utilizing macroscopic and microscopic characteristics through the Lactophenol Cotton Blue (LPCB) mount. Results: When tested for fungal growth, 42 (or 84% of the samples) came back positive and 8 (16%) came back negative. With 47.6% of the total isolates, Trichophyton rubrum was the most common species, followed by 33.3% Trichophyton mentagrophytes, 9.5% Epidermophyton floccosum, and 9.5% Microsporum gypseum. The results of the antifungal susceptibility tests showed that terbinafine and itraconazole were the most effective against the yeast, with fluconazole and griseofulvin showing reduced susceptibility. Approximately 28.5% of the isolates showed resistance to ketoconazole. Based on clinical correlation, the most common clinical kinds of tinea were tinea corporis (40%), and tinea cruris (28%). Conclusion: The study emphasizes that terbinafine and itraconazole are still the most effective antifungal drugs, and that Trichophyton rubrum is the most common dermatophyte species that causes infections. Nevertheless, it is crucial to regularly assess antifungal susceptibility patterns in order to direct effective treatment and avoid treatment failures, especially with the rise of fluconazole and ketoconazole resistance.