Three years incidence of dermatophytes in a hospital in Porto (Portugal)

We evaluated the incidence of dermatophytes isolated at our hospital in the years of 1997 to 2000 and correlated it with anatomical site and age. Trichophyton rubrum was the predominant species in all anatomical sites, excluding scalp, followed by Microsporum canis, the leading agent of tinea capitis. All dermatophytosis, except tinea capitis by M. canis and Trichophyton schoenleinnii appeared mainly in adult patients. Our results revealed no substantial differences to other portuguese studies regarding the major agents. We found a relatively high incidence of T. schoenleinnii as second tinea capitis agent.