Fungi causing dermatophytosis in Lagos, Nigeria

Dermatophytes of the genera Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton were isolated from 162 (41%) of 395 patients with clinical manifestations of ringworm infection reporting at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria between January 1986 and December 1987. Of the 162 strains of fungi isolated, 120 (74.1%) were Microsporum species and 7 (4.3%) were Epidermophyton floccosum. Superficial mycosis was most prevalent on the skin (59.3%), followed by that of the hairs (27.2%). Infection of the nails (13.6%) was the least common. Infection occurred in all the age groups with the age group (20 years old and above) having the highest rate of isolation (68.5%) while the age group (5 years and below) had the lowest isolation rate (3.7%).