Background: Diabetes mellitus is the most common endocrine disorder and takes on pandemic proportions. Dermatophytosis remains a significant public health problem. The objective of the study was to study the prevalence of Dermatophytic infection among diabetic and non- diabetic patients.
Materials and methods: It is a cross sectional study conducted during July 2011 to July 2012. All clinically diagnosed cases of dermatophytosis attending the Dermatology OPD of were included in the study. Among those 40 diabetic and 40 non diabetic Patients were included. Clinical materials were collected from the patients suffering from various types of dermatophytoses and processed according to standard protocols.
Result:
80 Samples from 80 patients suspected of dermatophytic infections were collected and processed. It includes 40 diabetic patients and 40 non-diabetic patients. The male /female ratio was 51%: 48%. Patients above 40 years of age were taken from both diabetic and non non-diabetic patients. A 16.3% of cases gave a history of contact with possible source of infection. Of the 40 diabetic samples collected 7 samples (17.5%) were both negative for both KOH wet mount and culture, remaining 33 samples (82.5%) were positive for both KOH mount and culture. Out of the 40 non-diabetic patients 12 samples (30%) were negative for both KOH mount and culture, remaining 28 (70%) were positive for both KOH mount and culture. The samples were skin scrapings, hair, and nail. Of the culture positive cases,  58.7% belonged to Trichophyton spp., 15% Microsporum spp. and 2.5% to Epidermophyton spp. The predominant isolate from all samples were T. rubrum, 40% from both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. T. rubrum was found predominantly in diabetic patients with an isolation rate of 45% than in the non-diabetic patients were the isolation rate is 35%. T. mentagrophyte mentagrophyte isolation rate was 18.7% from both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Isolation rate of T. mentagrophyte was more from non-diabetic patients (20%) than the diabetic patient with the isolation rate of 17.5%. Microsporum gypseum isolation rate was 15% from both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Isolation rate of M. gypseum (15%) was same among both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Epidermophyton floccosum was the least isolated dermatophyte with an isolation rate of 5% and it was isolated only from diabetic patients.
Conclusion: The predominant isolate from all samples were T. rubrum, 40% from both diabetic and non-diabetic patients.
Keywords: Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophyte Epidermophyton floccosum Diabetic patients, Non-diabetic patients