P097 Epidemiology of dermatophytes related infections in Kuwait: a retrospective study

Abstract Poster session 1, September 21, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM   Introduction and Objective Dermatophytes are a common cause of cutaneous infections that affect a large number of healthy individuals throughout their lives. Although such infections are classically benign, they have a negative impact on patient’s physical and psychological health. We aim to explore the epidemiology of dermatophytes infections at a national level. Methods The study was conducted retrospectively. Demographic and microbiological data were obtained from laboratory information system in the Mycology Reference Laboratory in the year 2021. Dermatophytes were either isolated from clinical samples in mycology reference laboratory or sent from other laboratories for species identification. The clinical samples were divided into two parts. The first half was examined microscopically, and the second half was inoculated on Sabouraud agar media with and without cycloheximide and then incubated at 30°C for at least 2 weeks. Dermatophytes were identified by colonial morphology and microscopic characteristics. Results During the year 2021, 60 dermatophytes were found. The male to female ratio was 2:1. A total of 60% of patients were children. Half of the cases were isolated from hair specimens and the second half were from the skin. Only one dermatophyte was isolated from nail cultures. Regarding dermatophytes distribution, Microsporum species were the commonest and involved mostly M. canis (26). Other less common species included two M. audouinii and two M. praecox. A total of seven other Microsporum species were not identified to species level. On the other hand, 23 Trichophyton species were found including 5 T. tonsurans, 4 T. interdigitale, 3 T. rubrum, 1 T. simii, and 1 T. erinacei. A total of 9 other Trichophyton species were not identified to species level. Conclusions Higher rates of infection were seen in males compared to females. Phenotypic identification has failed in identifying a significant number of isolates. As in other types of molds, the phenotypic examination may also result in inaccurate identification, especially among uncommon and evolving species. Hence, molecular testing is essential for accurate identification and better understanding of the epidemiology of dermatophytes-related infections. The following species were reported for the first time in Kuwait, namely: T. erinaceid, T. simii, and M. praecox.