Dermatophytes in Republic of Macedonia.

A total of 1742 clinically suspected samples was examined for the incidence and distribution of dermatophytes in the Republic of Macedonia from June 2007 to Jan. 2009. 600 dermatophytes were isolated and identified. In the studied period 9 different dermatophyte species were isolated, namely Trichophyton rubrum (48.83%), Microsporum canis (20%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale (16.83%), Epidermophyton floccosum (4.17%), Trichophyton verrucosum (3.83%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes (3%), Trichophyton violaceum (1.67%), Microsporum ferrugineum (1%) and Microsporum gypseum (0.67%). The anthropophilic dermatophytic species are predominant. Tinea unguium (onychomycosis) (37.50%) is the most frequently diagnosed dermatophytosis followed by tinea pedis (19.17%), tinea corporis (15.33) and tinea capitis (15.17%). Furthermore there is an increased number of Microsporum canis isolates in tinea capitis patients. Microsporum canis infection of the scalp remains a serious epidemiological problem in R. Macedonia.