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Indian Journal of Public Health 2023The epidemiological and mycological patterns of superficial mycoses across various geographic regions of India across the last few years are changing.
BACKGROUND
The epidemiological and mycological patterns of superficial mycoses across various geographic regions of India across the last few years are changing.
OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to evaluate the epidemiological and mycological profile of superficial mycoses in India between 2015 and 2021.
METHODS
In this systematic review, the PubMed database was searched for all observational studies published between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2021, which had evaluated the clinico-mycological profile of superficial mycoses among outpatients from various parts of India. Descriptive statistics was used to represent the results.
RESULTS
Forty studies (21 from the north, three from the northeast, five from the east, seven from the south, one from the west, and three from multiple regions of India) were included. Male patients and those of the age group of 21-40 years were most commonly affected. The proportion of dermatophytes as causative organisms was consistently high across all regions and throughout the study period (23.6%-100%). Among dermatophytes, the proportion of Trichophyton mentagrophyte (14.0%-97.2%) and Trichophyton rubrum (0%-69.1%) was consistently high across all regions. The prevalence of T. mentagrophyte showed a rising trend, while that T. rubrum showed a declining trend from 2015 to 2021.
CONCLUSIONS
The epidemiological and mycological pattern of superficial mycoses showed a fairly similar trend across various regions of India from 2015 to 2021. Dermatophytes were the main causative agents of superficial mycoses; the most common species were T. mentagrophyte and T. rubrum. A rising trend of T. Mentagrophyte infection was found.
Topics: Humans; Male; Young Adult; Adult; India; Dermatomycoses; Prevalence; Databases, Factual
PubMed: 37039217
DOI: 10.4103/ijph.ijph_987_22 -
Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia 2022Chromoblastomycosis is a skin infection caused by dematiaceous fungi that take the form of muriform cells in the tissue. It mainly manifests as verrucous plaques on the...
BACKGROUND
Chromoblastomycosis is a skin infection caused by dematiaceous fungi that take the form of muriform cells in the tissue. It mainly manifests as verrucous plaques on the lower limbs of rural workers in tropical countries.
OBJECTIVES
The primary objective of this review is to evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic methods for the identification of chromoblastomycosis, considering the histopathological examination as the reference test.
METHODS
MEDLINE, LILACS and Scielo databases were consulted using the terms "chromoblastomycosis" AND "diagnosis". The eligibility criteria were: studies that evaluated the accuracy of tests for the diagnosis of chromoblastomycosis. Eleven studies were selected. Statistical analysis included the calculation of sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic methods.
RESULTS
Considering the histopathological examination as the reference test, the culture showed a sensitivity (S) of 37.5% - 90.9% and a specificity (Sp) of 100%; while direct mycological examination showed S = 50% - 91.6% and Sp of 100% . Considering the culture as the reference test, the serology (precipitation techniques) showed S of 36% - 99%; and Sp of 80% - 100%; while the intradermal test showed S of 83.3% - 100% and Sp of 99.4% - 100%.
STUDY LIMITATIONS
The small number of studies and very discrepant sensitivity results among them do not allow the calculation of summary measures through a meta-analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
Direct mycological examination, culture, intradermal test and serology show sensitivity and specificity values for the diagnosis of chromoblastomycosis with no significant difference between the studies.
Topics: Chromoblastomycosis; Humans; Microbiological Techniques; Sensitivity and Specificity
PubMed: 35643736
DOI: 10.1016/j.abd.2021.09.007 -
Eye (London, England) Oct 2018
Topics: Coinfection; Endophthalmitis; Eye Infections, Fungal; Eye Infections, Viral; HIV Infections; Humans; Sporotrichosis
PubMed: 29880916
DOI: 10.1038/s41433-018-0145-9 -
Revista de Neurologia Oct 2023Cladophialophora bantiana is a filamentous fungus, known as a dematiaceous fungus because of the presence of melanin. This fungus is of clinical importance because it is...
INTRODUCTION
Cladophialophora bantiana is a filamentous fungus, known as a dematiaceous fungus because of the presence of melanin. This fungus is of clinical importance because it is neurotropic and causes cerebral phaeohyphomycosis.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The available scientific information on the development of cerebral phaeohyphomycosis caused by Cladophialophora bantiana was analysed by selecting articles from the PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases that describe case reports of fungal infection by C. bantiana in adults, taking into account the analysis of the patients' symptomatology, clinical history and neuroanatomical damage, in addition to considering the mortality of the condition.
RESULTS
India and United States were the countries with most case reports, with 32 and 11 cases respectively. Moreover, in terms of neuroanatomical lesions, the majority of patients suffered mixed lesions (29%) and frontal lobe lesions (22%). In accordance with the patients' condition, the pathology has a mortality rate of 62%.
CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that cerebral phaeohyphomycosis has a high mortality rate, there is no standardised treatment and, in most cases, the fungal infection of the brain is mixed and affects several different parts of it. Furthermore, if not diagnosed and treated in time, it can lead to the patients' death.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Antifungal Agents; Ascomycota; Brain Abscess; Cerebral Phaeohyphomycosis; Mycoses; Case Reports as Topic
PubMed: 37807883
DOI: 10.33588/rn.7708.2023145 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Jul 1999To identify and synthesise the evidence for efficacy and cost effectiveness of topical treatments for superficial fungal infections of the skin and nails of the feet. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
To identify and synthesise the evidence for efficacy and cost effectiveness of topical treatments for superficial fungal infections of the skin and nails of the feet.
DESIGN
Systematic review.
INTERVENTIONS
Topical treatments for superficial fungal infections.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Cure confirmed by culture and microscopy for skin and by culture for nails in patients with clinically diagnosed fungal infections.
RESULTS
Of 126 trials identified in 121 papers, 72 (57.1%) met the inclusion criteria. Placebo controlled trials yielded pooled relative risks of failure to cure skin infections: allylamines (0.30, 95% confidence interval 0.24 to 0.38); azoles (0.54, 0.42 to 0.68); undecenoic acid (0.28, 0. 11 to 0.74); and tolnaftate (0.46, 0.17 to 1.22). Although meta-analysis of 11 trials comparing allylamines and azoles showed a relative risk of failure to cure of 0.88 (0.78 to 0.99) in favour of allylamines, there was evidence of language bias. Seven reports in English favoured allylamines (0.79, 0.69 to 0.91), but four reports in foreign languages showed no difference between the two drugs (1. 01, 0.90 to 1.13). Neither trial of nail infections showed significant differences between alternative topical treatments.
CONCLUSIONS
Allylamines, azoles, and undecenoic acid were efficacious in placebo controlled trials. There are sufficient comparative trials to judge relative efficacy only between allylamines and azoles. Allylamines cure slightly more infections than azoles but are much more expensive than azoles. The most cost effective strategy is first to treat with azoles or undecenoic acid and to use allylamines only if that fails.
Topics: Administration, Topical; Allylamine; Antifungal Agents; Azoles; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Dermatomycoses; Foot Dermatoses; Humans; Nonprescription Drugs; Onychomycosis; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 10398626
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.319.7202.79 -
The American Journal of Tropical... Jan 2021Mycetoma is an infrequent subcutaneous infection caused by true fungi (eumycetoma) or aerobic actinomycetes (actinomycetoma). We report the case of a 62-year-old man...
Mycetoma is an infrequent subcutaneous infection caused by true fungi (eumycetoma) or aerobic actinomycetes (actinomycetoma). We report the case of a 62-year-old man with eumycetoma involving the left foot and ankle. Skin biopsy revealed black-brown grains, and in culture, a white colony fungus grew at day 8. Molecular sequencing using ITS1-ITS4 primers identified the species as Aspergillus sydowii. The patient was treated with itraconazole 200 mg twice daily and terbinafine 250 mg daily for 8 months, with complete response and no recurrence after 2.5 years of follow-up. Aspergillus sydowii is a saprotrophic fungus that rarely causes skin or nail disease. No cases of eumycetoma caused by this agent have been previously reported. As its geographic distribution continues to expand, it may increasingly be recognized as a cause of human disease.
Topics: Ankle; Antifungal Agents; Aspergillus; Female; Foot; Humans; Itraconazole; Male; Middle Aged; Mycetoma; Terbinafine; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 33399044
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-1352