CLINICAL MYCOLOGY LAB ISSUES (K LAGROU, SECTION EDITOR) Dermatophytosis, Trends in Epidemiology and Diagnostic Approach

Abstract Dermatophytes are amongst the most common fun-gal agents causing superficial skin infections. The epidemiolo-gy of dermatophytosis has changed during the last century under the influence of socioeconomic factors, modern life, in-tensification of travel, migration of populations from the south-ern to the northern hemisphere. As result, Trichophyton rubrum has become the most frequent species worldwide, causing mainly tinea pedis and tinea unguium, while Microsporum canis is still the main agent in tinea corporis and capitis in Mediterranean countries. However, the prevalence of anthropophilic dermatophytes causing tinea capitis in young children is increasing overall in the big cities of Europe and America, causing epidemics and becoming a public health con-cern. This review summarizes the current status of dermato-phyte infection in Europe, Africa, Asia and America and gives an overview of the most recent molecular methods currently available for the laboratory diagnosis of dermatophytosis