Guidelines for diagnosing and differentiating infection with antifungal-resistant Trichophyton indotineae from other dermatophytoses.

This review attempts to find a crucial set of criteria that can be applied to diagnose infections caused by Trichophyton indotineae, based on laboratory and clinical characteristics derived from other studies. T. indotineae has emerged as a new species from the anthropophilic Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton interdigitale. The close relationship between T. indotineae and these two species makes it difficult to distinguish them based on morphological and physiological features. Resistance to terbinafine was first observed in T. indotineae, and later to other antifungals, which increased the treatment failure rate in several dermatophytoses. In conclusion; identifying criteria specific to infections with T. indotineae can provide a framework for physicians to readily diagnose such infections and distinguish them from other dermatophytoses. Categorization guidelines for all diagnostic characteristics of T. indotineae and its infection can make a forward step in prescribing effective therapies.