(ÖGDV Jahrestagung 2023)
I. Indikova, L.Teodorowicz, K. Loydl, A.Stary
Outpatients Centre for Diagnosis of Infectious Venero-dermatological Diseases, Vienna, Austria
Objectives and aim:
Trichophyton (T.) indotineae is a newly described species of dermatophyte. This fungal pathogen is widespread in India and is responsible for chronic or recurrent widespread superficial infections. It is often associated with resistance to terbinafine, caused by a point mutation in the gene encoding squalene epoxidase.
Patients and Methods:
A female patient (32 years old) with extensive tinea corporis was referred to the Outpatient´s centre. Skin scrapings were collected and analysed by cultivation in fungal culture media (Sabourand agar at 28° for 21 days) and KOH direct test. The species of the growing culture was determined by colony morphology and microscopic observation. The identification was additionally carried out by sequencing the entire ITS region of the rDNA and subsequent database comparison of the sequencing result (courtesy of Labor Mölbis, Leipzig, Germany). Antifungal susceptibility was tested using the Ezy MICTM (Himedia).
Results:
Based on colony appearance and microscopic characteristics, the fungus was identified as a member of the T. mentagropyhtes/interdigitale complex. However, as the patient was from India, T. indotineae was suspected. Sequencing demonstrated a clear and 100% match with the above species (Trichophyton indotineae = T. mentagrophytes ITS genotype VIII India). Nevertheless, antifungal susceptibility testing revealed an undiminished susceptibility to terbinafine.
Conclusion:
Our results proved the identity of the dermatophyte and confirmed the spread of the fungus across Europe. It was one of the first T. indotineae isolates in Austria.
