SIXTEEN YEARS OF DERMATOMYCOSIS CAUSED BY Candida spp. IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF PORTO ALEGRE, SOUTHERN BRAZIL

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Main Authors: Daiane HEIDRICH, Cheila Denise Ottonelli STOPIGLIA, Cibele Massotti MAGAGNIN, Tatiane Caroline DABOIT, Gerson VETTORATO, Taís Guarienti AMARO, Maria Lúcia SCROFERNEKER
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 2016
• Subjects: Epidemiology; Dermatology; Candida; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-9946201658014; https://doaj.org/article/ef55600c42aa4b93b499cc5ee1d59360

The yeasts of the genus Candida infect skin, nails, and mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal and the genitourinary tract. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of dermatomycoses caused by Candida spp., and their etiological aspects in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, Brazil. A retrospective study with data obtained from tertiary hospital patients, from 1996 to 2011, was performed. The analyzed parameters were date, age, gender, ethnicity, anatomical region of lesions, and the direct examination results. For all the statistical analyses, a = 0.05 was considered. Among positive results in the direct mycological examination, 12.5% of the total of 4,815 cases were positive for Candida spp. The angular coefficient (B) was -0.7%/ year, showing a decrease over the years. The genus Candida was more prevalent in women (15.9% of women versus 5.84% of men), and in addition, women were older than men (54 versus 47 years old, respectively). There was no difference between ethnic groups. The nails were more affected than the skin, with 80.37% of the infections in the nails (72.9% in fingernails and 7.47% in toenails). Our study corroborates the literature regarding the preference for gender, age, and place of injury. Moreover, we found a decrease in infection over the studied period.