Purpose: Tinea corporis (Ringworm) is a form of Dermatophytosis, which is a supercial fungal infection involving the
trunk, legs, arms, commonly seen in countries like India. Although it is non-invasive and curable, its widespread nature
and recurrence rates impose an economic burden on society in developing countries like India. This study aims at isolating different species
causing this infection and studying their clinical patterns.
Method: The study included the samples from the outpatients attending the Dermatology department of SVRRGGH, Tirupati, who were
suspected of having Tinea corporis based on the clinical details, during the period from August 2018 to August 2019. The scrapings are examined
by KOH mount and inoculated on Sabouraud's Dextrose agar and Dermatophyte test medium. The species are identied by colony morphology,
Lactophenol cotton blue mount, biochemical reactions and standard procedures.
Results: Out of 110 samples, overall positivity on direct microscopy is 78.2% (82), for Culture is 38.2%(42) and positive for both KOH and
Culture are 38(34%). Out of 7 species isolated, the commonest isolate is Trichophyton mentagrophytes 19(45%), followed by Trichophyton
rubrum 12(28%).
Conclusion: Tinea corporis infections are more common in the 16-30 years age group, most of the patients belonging to low socioeconomic
status with male predominance. Trichophyton species are commonly isolated from lesions in the waist and lower limbs, while Microsporum
species from lesions on lower limbs. T. mentagrophytes was found to be the most common isolate and T. rubrum in case of extensive lesions.
Emergence of Difficult-to-Treat Tinea Corporis Caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes Complex Isolates, Paris, France
