Epidemiology and prevalence of superficial fungal infections among dormitory students in Tehran, Iran

Superficial fungal infections are one of the most prevalent skin diseases worldwide. According to clinical reports, dermatophytosis has been the most prevalent form of superficial infections. It is well documented that the epidemiology of skin infections might change over time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology and prevalence of superficial fungal infections in dormitory students living in Tehran province. For this purpose, a total of 1441 male students, living in the dorms were investigated. The results showed that the prevalence and incidence of disease among dormitory students living in Tehran were 9.16 and 2.77% respectively, while Trichophyton rubrum was the most frequently isolated species (30.34%). Tinea cruris and Tinea corporis were the dominant clinical forms of the disease. Furthermore, Malassezia species accounted for 33.3% of infected cases. It could be concluded that although the prevalence of dermatophytosis is quite low among students but since this disease is highly contagious, more attention should be made to prevent the occurrence of dermatophytosis among dormitory students