Superficial mycoses in a southern New Zealand district

A total of 2,709 pathogenic fungi were isolated from 8,762 patients suspected as having mycotic disease, over an 8 year period in Christchurch, New Zealand. The district is climatically designated as temperate with average mean temperatures of 17 degrees C in summer and 8 degrees C in winter. The predominant species of fungi were relatively small in number with Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitals as the major pathogen. Fungi other than true dermatophytes, particularly Candida spp. and Malassezia furfur, were included to demonstrate the full spectrum of superficial mycoses presenting for diagnosis at the mycology clinic.