Prevalence of superficial dermatomycoses in 73 renal transplant recipients

Because of chronic immunosuppressive therapy, the skin of renal transplant recipients (RTR) is considered more liable to fungal infections.

The aim of the study was to analyze the prevalence of superficial dermatomycoses in a chronically immunosuppressed group of RTR who live in northern Italy and to verify the eventual relationship between the onset of mycoses, the immunosuppressive regimen and the interval of time elapsed after the transplantation.

73 RTR were submitted to a complete dermatological examination for fungal infection. Skin scrapings were taken from the upper back, from the 4th toe web of all patients and from any suspicious lesion.

31 patients (42.5%) were affected by dermatomycosis. Pityriasis versicolor (PV) was present in 20 RTR (27.4%), fungal infection of the 4th toe web in 10 patients (13.7%) and onychomycosis in 9 RTR (12.3%). Trichophyton mentagrophytes was the most common dermatophyte. The prevalence of dermatomycoses was higher in the group of patients treated with azathioprine-cyclosporine-steroids and in those who had received their renal transplant in the previous 1-5 years.

PV was the most frequent dermatomycosis and showed a higher prevalence than in the normal population. The prevalence of fungal infection of the 4th toe web and onychomycosis was similar to that found in the immunocompetent population, but the length of interval after transplantation seemed to increase the probability of their occurrence and of mixed or simultaneous fungal infections in the same patient.