PREVALENCE OF SUPERFICIAL MYCOSES IN THE AOSTA VALLEY REGION OF ITALY FROM 1984 TO 1989

This report represents the results of the culture tests for fungi carried out in the Aosta Valley region of Italy from 1984 to 1989. The pathological material consisted of cutaneous scales, hair and nails. It was possible to identify 91.8% of the isolates: out of these, 36.1% were dermatophytes, 21% were Aspergillus spp, 15.6% Deuteromycetes, 15% yeasts and 4.1% members of the family Mucoraceae. The resulting data indicate that Microsporum canis was the most wide-spread species (73.7%) among the isolated dermatophytes and keratinophilic fungi (Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Epidermophyton floccosum and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis): 87.5% were isolated from hair and 65.9% from the glabrous skin. The high prevalence of M. canis as the cause of dermatomycoses is discussed. Lastly the use made of the Regional Hospital's Mycology Department by health workers is discussed.