Dermatophytosis is a skin disorder caused by a parasitic fungus called Dermatphyte. Dermatophyte feeds on keratin that usually found in the ectoderm or the outer layer of the skin, nails and hair.

A differential diagnosis must be enough to rule out other possible disorders that may inhibit the same symptoms such as eczema, contact dermatitis and psoriasis. Clinical tests are also done on scrapings of the affected skin which is usually done through examination under the microscope. The skin sample will also be used to grow more fungal samples and can be used to test effectivity of treatments used.

Anti-fungal treatments is effective in treating this disease. For uncomplicated cases, a topical antifungal treatments like clotrimazole, terbinafine cream and miconazole should be effective enough. Some special cases also administer oral antifungal drugs or use of corticosteriods also.

Presence of such disease manifests skin lesions or rashes depending on what species of fungi are involved.

Different fungus cause dermatophytosis, like Tinea pedis which affect the feet and cause athlete's foot, T. unguium affects the nails in both fingers and toes, T. capitis severes the scalp while T. barbae attacks the facial hair. Other fungus that also affects differnt parts of the body are T. corporis and T. faciei but in most cases, dermatophytes belonging to the genera of Microsporum and Trichophyton cause dermatophytosis. These fungus strive well in skin that is hot, moist, and hidden from the light. Transmission can occur through direct contact with infected lesions or inderectly through contaminated objects such as shoes, shower stalls or towels. It can also be caused by weather conditions and how people dress up, especially during warm weather and people wear tight fitting clothes which encourage growth of fungus.

dermatophytosis