Clinico-mycological study of superficial mycoses and correlation with anti-fungal susceptibility among the Candida isolates in a teaching institution of Western India.

Abstract

Most common superficial fungal infection is caused by dermatophytes, which infects skin, hair, and nail in all age groups. Candida spp. is also a known causative agent for superficial mycoses. The prevalence also depends on different demographical variations. The present study was conducted to isolate and identify the fungal species by phenotypic and culture methods from patients suffering from superficial fungal infections and establish <i>in vitro</i> anti-fungal susceptibility testing on candida isolates. The skin scrapings, hair, nail clippings were collected from 330 patients, and KOH mount and fungal culture were performed. The culture-positive samples were subjected to lactophenol cotton blue (LPCB), slide culture and CHROM agar for species-level identification. Anti-fungal susceptibility testing was done on the candidaisolates. Out of 330 specimens collected, 161 (49%) were skin scrapings, 42 (13%) were hair samples, and 127 (30%) were nail clippings. Most commonly isolated was Candida spp. in nail and <i>Trichophyton mentagrophyte</i> in skin. Anti-fungal susceptibility was performed on the candida isolates, and caspofungin was found to be the most susceptible anti-fungal agent. All dermatophytes, non-dermatophyte molds (NDMs), and yeasts can cause infections of the skin, hair, and nails. The present study has highlighted the growing importance of NDMs as a cause of dermatomycoses. Among the <i>Candida</i> species, the most susceptible drug was caspofungin. The use of fluconazole in the prophylaxis of fungal infections in patients may be the cause of the rising fluconazole resistance rate among them and, hence, should be used cautiously.