VARIA
PREVALENCE
OF SUPERFICIAL FUNGAL
INFECTIONS AMONG SPORTS-ACTIVE INDIVIDUALS IN IRAN
Shahindokht
Bassiri-Jahromi, Ali Asghar Khaksar, Golnar Sadeghi, Farnoosh Asghari,
Ali Najafi
Pasteur
Institute of Iran, Medical Mycology Department, Tehran, Iran
Introduction.
Cutaneous mycoses are often associated with sports in public opinion as
well as in a practitioners one. Subsequently, practicing of various
kind of sport can lead to direct and indirect exposures to and
transmission of micro organisms between athletes and also passive
observers. This study was conducted to evaluate the occurrence of
cutaneous fungal infections affecting the athletes.
Methods. A
respectively study of superficial fungal infections in athletes were
carried out during the period of March 2002 to December 2006 on 656
mycological proven cases of dermatophytosis found in athletes in
Tehran. Mycological examination consisted of culturing of pathologic
material followed by direct microscopic observation. Mycological
cultures were carried out on Sabouraud Chloramphenicol Agar, Sabouraud
Chloramphenicol and Cyclohexamide Agar, and Dermatophyte Agar incubated
at 25°C for at least 28 days. Diagnosis was based on
macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the colonies.
Results.
We surveyed
1075 Athletes suspected to cutaneous fungal infections from 201
institutions and found 656 (61%) were positive for fungal infections.
The fungal isolates comprised Trichophyton tonsurans (56%),
Epidermophyton floccosum (11.8%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (8.9%),
Trichophyton rubrum (8.3%), Trichophyton verrucosum (3.9%),
Trichophyton violaceum (3.3%), Microsporum canis (2.5%), Malassezia fur
fur (3.3%), and Pityrosporum oval (2%). The distribution of the lesions
on the body was: trunk> groin> hair and scalp>
sole and toe webs> finger nails> toe nails. Fungal
infections were more commonly seen in wrestlers and aerobics.
Conclusion.
The
results suggest that athletic activity seems to be a predisposing
factor, especially for fungal infections.
Key words: fungal
infections, sport, prevention, Iran.
|
