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Epidemiology of Superficial Fungal Infections in Guangdong, Southern China: A Retrospective Study from 2004 to 2014

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Abstract

Superficial fungal infections are common worldwide; however, the distribution of pathogenic species varies among geographical areas and changes over time. This study aimed to determine the epidemiologic profile of superficial fungal infections during 2004–2014 in Guangzhou, Southern China. Data regarding the superficial mycoses from outpatients and inpatients in our hospital were recorded and analyzed. From the 3367 patients that were enrolled in the study, 3385 samples were collected from skin, hair and nail lesions. Of the 697 positive cultures, dermatophytes were the most prevalent isolates (84.36 %), followed by yeasts (14.92 %) and non-dermatophyte molds (0.72 %). Trichophyton rubrum (56.24 %) was the most common dermatophyte isolated from cases of tinea unguium (83.92 %), tinea pedis (71.19 %), tinea cruris (91.66 %), tinea corporis (91.81 %) and tinea manuum (65.00 %). Trichophyton mentagrophytes (13.35 %) and Microsporum canis (10.19 %) were the predominant species associated with cases of tinea faciei (54.55 %) and tinea capitis (54.13 %), respectively. Yeasts and molds were identified primarily from other cases of superficial fungal infections. In conclusion, when compared to previous studies in the same area, the epidemiology of superficial mycoses in Guangdong did not significantly change from 2004 to 2014. The prevalence of causative agents and the spectrum of superficial fungal infections, particularly tinea caused by dermatophyte infection, are similar to reports from several specific regions in China and Europe, whereas increasing incidences of Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum canis occurred in Guangdong, China.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National S & T Major Program (2012ZX10004-220), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81301411). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong, China

    Wenying Cai, Changming Lu, Xiqing Li, Junmin Zhang & Liyan Xi

  2. Dermatology Hospital of Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi Provincial Institute of Dermatology, Nanchang, 330001, Jiangxi, China

    Ping Zhan

  3. Guangdong Provincial Institute of Public Health, Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, 511430, Guangdong, China

    Jiufeng Sun

  4. Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China

    Xinbing Yu

  5. Key Laboratory for Tropical Diseases Control, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China

    Xinbing Yu

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  1. Wenying Cai
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  3. Xiqing Li
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Correspondence to Liyan Xi, Jiufeng Sun or Xinbing Yu.

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Cai, W., Lu, C., Li, X. et al. Epidemiology of Superficial Fungal Infections in Guangdong, Southern China: A Retrospective Study from 2004 to 2014. Mycopathologia 181, 387–395 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-016-9986-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-016-9986-6

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