Korean J Dermatol.  1972 Jan;10(1):33-37.

The Survey of Dermatophytosis in Cotton Mill Industry : The observation of clinical and mycological bases

• Cho KY
• Won SJ
• Woo TH

Abstract

Large numbers of any population of shoe wears have abnormalities of the skin of their toe clefts, but most of them have no recognized pathogen there. The term tinea pedis, or athlete's foot, should be strictly reserved for those infected with a dermatophyte fungus. The prevalance of this condition in the general population is unknown, and a survey of a true representative sample would present considerable difficulties. The toe webs and the soles as well as other area of the feet which showed any clinical changes were scraped and the scales ohtained were examined microscopically after clearing with 10% KOH and were inoculated on to Sabouraud's glucose agar. Pathogenic fungi were identified in slide culture and fermentation test with macro and microscopically. Total 1669 workers were examined in Cotton Mill Industry. Patients from 648 (38.7%) workers {85(28.1%) of 302 men and from 563 (41.1%) of 1367 women) showed clinically diagnosed tinea pedis. Their ages varied from 15 to over 50 years, with most of those examined in the second decade, especially women. The positivc rate of 10% KOH preparation found, that 21.3% of 72 men and 78.7% of 267 women were clinical diagnosed. An analysis of 221 identified strains with mycologic examination has shown that trichophyton rubrum (88 strains) is more isolated than T.mentagrophytes (66 strains), also candida species (50 strains are included C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. pseudotropicalis, C. parakrusei and C. stellatoidea.) Authors figures indicate that the incidence of dermatophytosis is high in workers of Cotton Mill Industry for following reasons; 1. Environmental condition of working place are maintained constantly high temperature and humidity. 2. Workers are used in industrial bath room after working, and living a communal life.

MeSH Terms

Agar
Arthrodermataceae
Baths
Candida
Female
Fermentation
Foot
Fungi
Glucose
Humans
Humidity
Incidence
Male
Shoes
Skin
Tinea Pedis
Tinea*
Toes
Trichophyton
Weights and Measures
Agar
Glucose