A five-years retrospective study of dermatophytosis and dermatomycoses at the Mycology Referral Laboratory of. EHNRI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

• Main Authors: Surafel Fentaw, Theodros Getachew, EndriMohammed, Meseret Assefa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas 2010-01-01
• Series: Revista CENIC. Ciencias Biológicas
• Online Access: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=181220509012

Mycoses are complex diseases affecting keratinous tissue of hair, nails and horny layer of skin, mainly caused by dermatophytes. Although considered as a trivial disease, its psychological effects are considerable. Its high morbidity is manifested in terms of treatment and working time loss. Nowadays mycotic infections are increasing at alarming rates due to simultaneous increment in HIV/AIDS prevalence. In Ethiopia, research on mycoses is few. Therefore, study of superficial and other types of mycoses is mandatory. Clinical specimens were inoculated on Mycosel and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar, incubated at 37oC and 25oC for 4 weeks for molds and 5-7 days for yeasts. All cultures from 2367 clinical samples were processed, being 1559 (65.9%) from females and 808 (34.1%) males. 1715 (72.5%) were in the age 16-45 years. Of these,1347(56.9%) specimens were from nails, 532 (22.5%) from scalp, 401(16.9%) from skin and 87(3.7%) from other body parts. Out of the total, 2017(85.2%) showed growth by culture while 350 (14.8%) were negative. From positive cases 1146 (56.8%), 326 (16.2%) and 110 (5.5%) were identified as Trichophyton, Aspergillus and mixed Trichophyton-Aspergillus species, respectively. In addition, 89 (4.4%), 88 (4.4%) and 79 (3.9%) were Candida albicans, other Candida species and mixed Candida/Trichophyton. The remaining 179 contain different fungi including Microsporum, Penicillium, Mucor, Epidermophyton and mixed species. Trichophyton species are the most important cause of dermatomycoses in population. Other non-dermatophyte molds were involved as well. A further larger study must be performed at species level, in order to know more about fungal prevalence and host related factors in Ethiopia.