Cross-Sectional Study on Risk Factors Involved with Mycological Infections in and Around Indore Region

Abstract

Background: Overcrowding, poor hygiene, low socioeconomic status, obesity, increased sweating, tight synthetic garments, occupational and recreational exposures, and associated conditions such as diabetes mellitus, cushingoid syndrome, immunosuppressive states, atopy, ichthyosis, and other skin conditions all increase the risk of dermatophytosis. Aim: The present study aim is to determine clinical characterization, environmental factor and host factor of dermatophytes infection.  Materials & methods: After obtaining permission from the Institutional Ethics Committee the present study was conducted among patients comes in dermatology OPD, 200 dermatophytosis samples were selected taking the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the present study and were processed in mycology laboratory of Microbiology Department. Results: The number of incidents was largest during the summer months (136), then it decreased during the wet months (44), and finally it was lowest during the winter months (20). According to our research, many instances were reported in occupations related to farmers (58), followed by people who worked outside (46), students (32), people who worked in offices (32), and those who stayed at home (32). According to the results of the Chi-square test, the p-value was 0.013, which indicates that there was a statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Dermatophytosis can affect young and middle-aged males due to UV radiation and physical exertion-induced sweat. Hot, humid workplaces increase risk. Congestion, dirt, disease, and malnutrition affect low-income people more. Trichophyton rubrum causes tinea corporis and cruris. The increased family scabies-like clustering. Embarrassed and anxious women underreport. The first session helps patients prevent this uncomfortable dermatophyte disease.

Keywords: Dermatophytosis; Overcrowding; Humid; Diabetes mellitus.