The unprecedented epidemic-like scenario of dermatophytosis in India: II. Diagnostic methods and taxonomical aspects
Shyam B. Verma, Saumya Panda, Pietro Nenoff, Archana Singal, Shivaprakash M. Rudramurthy, Silke Uhrlaß, Anupam Das, Kavita Bisherwal, Dipika Shaw, Resham Vasani
Abstract
Trichophyton (T.) mentagrophytes now accounts for an overwhelming majority of clinical cases in India, a new "Indian genotype" (T. mentagrophytes ITS genotype VIII) having been isolated from skin samples obtained from cases across a wide geographical distribution in this country. The conventional diagnostic methods, like fungal culture, are, however, inadequate for diagnosing this agent. Thus, molecular methods of diagnosis are necessary for proper characterization of the causative agent. The shift in the predominant agent of dermatophytosis from T. rubrum to T. mentagrophytes, within a relatively short span of time, is without historic parallel. The apparent ease of transmission of a zoophilic fungus among human hosts can also be explained by means of mycological phenomena, like anthropization.