[Prevalence of zoophilic dermatophytes in the Sarajevo region].
Zoophlic dermatophytes are common cause of tinea infections in Europe, especially in Mediterranean area. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of zoophilic dermatophytes in Sarajevo area, during a five-year period (1998-2002). Samples (skin scrapings or nail fragments) were taken from 2,142 patients who presented with suspected dermatophytoses and cultured on Sabouraud agar. After three weeks of incubations 465 (21.7%) dermatophytes were identified based on macroscopic and microscopic morphology. Zoophilic dermatophytes were found in 421 (90.5%) patients. The most common zoophilic species was Microsporum canis (80.0%), whereas Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton verrucosum were less frequently isolated, in 9.7% and 0.9%, respectively. Lesions of tinea capitis were the most prevalent clinical type of Microsporum canis infections (28.8%), followed by tinea corporis (27.4%), tinea faciei (14.8%), tinea pedum (10.2%), tinea unguium (7.8%), tinea manuum (7.5%) and tinea cruris (3.5%). The findings in our study indicate a constant increase in frequency of the zoophilic microsporiasis in recent years in Sarajevo area.