الفهرس 
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Abstract
Dermatophytes are common fungal pathogens causing most
superficial fungal infections in human and animal with a high
prevalence worldwide; dermatophyte infections are significant
health problem in Egypt. The accurate diagnosis is very
important for appropriate treatment. The clinical diagnosis is
usually not enough as clinical lesions caused by dermatophytes
are highly variable and closely resemble other skin diseases, so
laboratory diagnosis is necessary for the accurate management
of infection. This study aimed to confirm the clinical diagnosis
of dermatophyte infections by using conventional and molecular
methods and to determine the prevalence of their etiological
agents among the examined human patients and animals.
Two hundred specimens were collected from human
patients with suspected dermatophytoses and fifty specimens
were collected from animals showing clinically ringworm
lesions. All specimens were mycologically examined by direct
microscope using KOH solution and culturing on SDA medium
with cycloheximide to confirm clinical diagnosis of suspected
dermatophytoses, the isolated dermatophyte species from
humans and animals were identified by phenotypic methods.
In human patients, the prevalence rates of dermatophyte
infections were 86.5% and 57.5% by direct microscopic and
culture examinations, respectively.
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The most frequently isolated dermatophyte species was T.
violaceum, followed by M. canis and T. rubrum. While the less
frequently species were T. verrucosum and E. floccosum. The
most common cause of tinea capitis and tinea corporis was T.
violaceum, followed by M. canis, while T. rubrum was the most
common cause of tinea pedis, tinea cruris and tinea unguium.
The most common clinical type of dermatophyte infections
in positive cases was tinea capitis, followed by tinea corporis,
tinea pedis, tinea cruris and tinea unguium.
The most susceptible age group to the dermatophyte
infection was that of children less than 10 years old followed by
that of 11-20 years old. While, the lowest rate of infection was
found in patients more than 50 years old. Tinea capitis and tinea
corporis were the most common clinical types in pre-pubertal
children, whereas tinea pedis, tinea cruris and tinea unguium
were found in adult patients.
The dermatophyte infection rate was higher in patients from
urban area (60%) than those from rural area (40%). Among
human patients with positive dermatophyte infection, 78 cases
(67.8%) had no contact with animals, while 37 cases (32.2%)
had contact with animals.
The highest incidence of human dermatophytosis was
reported in winter season followed by autumn, summer and
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spring. Tinea capitis and tinea corporis were common in winter,
while tinea pedis and tinea cruris were common in summer.
Out of 50 animals clinically showing ringworm lesions, the
overall dermatophyte infection rates were 80% and 60% by
direct microscopic and culture examinations,