Epidemiology of dermatophytoses in 31 municipalities of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina: A 6-year study.

BACKGROUND: No reliable data are available in the province of Buenos Aires regarding the frequency of dermatophytoses and other fungal diseases. The distribution of the clinical forms and the species involved are also unknown.

AIMS: To present the data collected by the laboratories participating in the Mycology Network of the province of Buenos Aires (MNPBA) from a retrospective epidemiological survey on dermatophytoses.

METHODS: A descriptive and exploratory analysis was performed on the cases of dermatophytoses gathered between 2002 and 2007 by the Mycology Network of the province of Buenos Aires.

RESULTS: Of the 3966 dermatophytosis cases reported by 41 laboratories in 31 municipalities, more than a half occurred in three highly populated urban municipalities. The male:female ratio was 1:1.5. The most frequent clinical form was tinea unguium, diagnosed in 904 cases (51.83%), followed by tinea capitis (19.32%), tinea corporis (15.19%), tinea pedis (6.77%), tinea cruris (3.73%), and tinea manuum (2.18%). The species involved was identified in 1368 (33.49%) cases. Trichophyton rubrum was the most common species, with a frequency of 42.03%. An association was found between urban municipalities and T. rubrum or the Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex.

CONCLUSIONS: Results from the MNPBA survey provide valuable information that should enable further interventions to be designed in order to prevent and control the disease.