Foot infections due to Hendersonula toruloidea and Scytalidium hyalinum in coal miners

A total of 250 coal miners were screened for mycotic skin infections. Sixty-six (34.8%) miners had clinical lesions on their feet which proved to be of mycotic etiology by direct microscopy and culture. Hendersonula toruloidea, the commonest etiological agent, was the sole agent recovered from 23 (34.8%) of the positive cases and was also isolated from three (4.5%) cases of mixed infection with dermatophytes (two cases with Trichophyton rubrum and one with Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes). Scytalidium hyalinum was recovered as the sole causal agent in four (6.1%) patients and from one case of mixed infection with T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes. The dermatophytes isolated as sole etiological agents included T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes (13 isolates) T. rubrum (10), Trichophyton tonsurans (5), Epidermophyton floccosum (4) and Microsporum gypseum (3). The toe web was invariably involved in all cases of H. toruloidea and S. hyalinum infection and was also the commonest site of infection by dermatophytes. Occasionally the sole, toe and finger nails were also involved. Other body sites were infrequently involved and then only in infections caused by dermatophytes. The epidemiology of H. toruloidea and S. hyalinum infections is reviewed.