[Swimmer's eczema: intertrigo, erythrasma or a yeast or fungus infection?].

OBJECTIVE

To determine the proportional contributions of tinea pedis, intertrigo, erythrasma and Candida to 'swimmer's eczema.'

DESIGN

Descriptive.

SETTING

Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Leiden, the Netherlands.

METHOD: General practitioners were encouraged to refer every patient with clinical signs of foot mycosis. Mycological tests (culture and microscopy) were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 296 patients with interdigital mycosis and 30 with tinea pedis of the moccasin type were included. In 56% of the patients with swimmer's eczema dermatophytes were recognised, 10% showed erythrasma and in 30% no cause could be found. Candida only played a minor role. Trichophyton mentagrophytes was found more often in swimmer's eczema than in tinea pedis of the moccasin type.

CONCLUSION

Swimmer's eczema has several causes, which can be determined with mycological tests. Microscopy is the most sensitive method in regard to demonstrating dermatophytes and erythrasma.