Superficial mycoses in Saudi Arabia.

Between June 1988 and December 1990, 1018 cases of superficial mycoses were investigated. Diagnosis was confirmed by microscopic examination in 503 cases and the causal agent was isolated in 490 cases. Tinea capitis accounted for 47.7% (92.5% in children below 10 years of age). The frequency of other clinical types in descending order was pityriasis versicolor 25.8%, tinea corporis 9%, onychomycosis 5.8%, tinea pedis 4%, intertrigo 3.9% and tinea cruris 2.8%. Erythrasma was encountered three times and mixed piedra and trichomycosis axillaris once. Microsporum canis was the commonest aetiological agent, responsible for 46.9% of ringworm infections. Malassezia furfur was the next most common agent (26.5%) followed by Candida albicans (8.6%) and Trichophyton violaceum (8.2%). Other species were found less frequently. T.simii was isolated from four cases of tinea cruris and one each of tinea capitis and tinea corporis, and Piedraia hortae and Trichosporon beigelii from a case of mixed piedra infection.