Dermatophyte fungi in the Guinea Savannah region of Nigeria and the changing phase of dermatophytosis in Nigeria.

Approximately 8,000 patients with various skin diseases were seen at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, Nigeria between January 1983 and December 1986. 174 (2.2%) presented with features in which a clinical diagnosis of superficial fungal infection was made or suspected. 69 out of 190 (36.3%) of specimens taken from skin lesions or nails from these patients were mycologically positive. The fungi isolated were Trichophyton rubrum (24.6%), Tr. soudanense (13.0%), Candida albicans (5.8%) Hendersonula toruloidea (2.9%), Microsporum audouinii (1.5%) and Epidermophyton floccosum (1.5%); 34.8% of the specimens were positive on microscopy but failed to grow. Malassezia furfur was demonstrated in 15.9% of the 69 positive specimens.