Clinico-Mycological Study of Superficial Mycoses in a Tertiary Health Care Centre of Southern Assam

Background-Superficial Mycosis, which is the most common fungal infection affecting human beings, includes Dermatophytosis and Dermatomycoses, which are the infections of superficial keratinized layer of skin, nail & hair by Dermatophytes and non Dermatophytic moulds or yeasts respectively. This clinical entity is very common in hot, humid tropical climate of India with prevalence ranging from 30-60% but its precise case magnitude and epidemiology in North eastern India cannot be stated as there are only few studies conducted. So, this study is undertaken to 1) Find the prevalence of Superficial Mycosis in a tertiary health care centre of Southern Assam.2) Study the clinical profile of the cases 3) Isolate and identify the causative agents of Superficial mycosis. Materials & Method- The study has been conducted on 250 samples from clinically suspected and untreated cases of superficial mycosis from Aug 2017 to Dec 2018. 2 separate sets of samples from edge of skin lesion/nail /hair were collected, of which 1 sample was subjected to direct microscopy with (10-40) % KOH and the other part was subjected to 2 sets of fungal culture in SDA tubes at 25°Cand 37°C & followed for 3 weeks. In Culture positive cases, fungal identification was based on colony morphology, pigment production & LPCB mount. For confirmation of isolates, Slide Culture and biochemical tests were done. Result-Out of total 250 samples,115 samples (46%) showed presence of fungal elements in KOH examination, of which 73 were culture positive and of the KOH negative samples 10 samples were culture positive, thus making the prevalence 33.2% (83/250). Clinically, Tinea corporis was the most common form of both superficial mycosis & Dermatophytosis and Pityriasis Versicolor has been found the most common Dermatomycosis. Males(21-50yrs) were affected by superficial mycosis more than Females(16-30yr). Trichophyton mentagrophyte was the mostly isolated agent causing superficial mycosis.