Dynamics of dermatophytosis frequency in Mexico: an analysis of 2084 cases

We analysed 15,101 biological samples from patients presenting with superficial mycoses who attended outpatient services over a 10-year period. Scale samples were processed for direct microscopic examination with 15% KOH and cultured on Sabouraud glucose agar plus chloramphenicol and cycloheximide. Laboratory examination confirmed 4,709 cases of superficial mycosis (31.18%), of which 2,084 (44.26%) were dermatophytoses. The species most frequently encountered was Trichophyton rubrum (71.2%), followed by T. tonsurans (6.9%), T. mentagrophytes (5.5%), Microsporum canis (4.5%) and Epidermophyton floccosum (1.3%). The most frequent clinical form of dermatophytosis was tinea unguium (59.9%), followed by tinea pedis (24.5%). We demonstrate that the number of cases of T. rubrum is increasing in Mexico.