Prevalence of superficial dermatomycoses in 73 renal transplant recipients

Background: Because of chronic immunosuppressive therapy, the skin of renal transplant recipients (RTR) is considered more liable to fungal infections . Aim: The aim of the study was to analyze the prevalence of superficial de rmatomycoses in a chronically immunosuppressed group of RTR who live in nor thern Italy and to verify the eventual relationship between the onset of my coses, the immunosuppressive regimen and the interval of time elapsed after the transplantation. Methods: 73 RTR were submitted to a complete dermatol ogical examination for fungal infection. Skin scrapings were taken from the upper back, from the 4th toe web of all patients and from any suspicious l esion. Results: 31 patients (42.5%) were affected by dermatomycosis. Pityri asis versicolor (PV) was present in 20 RTR (27.4%), fungal infection of the 4th toe web in 10 patients (13.7%) and onychomycosis in 9 RTR (12.3%). Tri chophyton mentagrophytes was the most common dermatophyte. The prevalence o f dermatomycoses was higher in the group of patients treated with azathiopr ine-cyclosporine-steroids and in those who had received their renal transpl ant in the previous 1-5 years. Conclusions: PV was the most frequent dermat omycosis and showed a higher prevalence than in the normal population. The prevalence of fungal infection of the 4th toe web and onychomycosis was sim ilar to that found in the immunocompetent population, but the length of int erval after transplantation seemed to increase the probability of their occ urrence and of mixed or simultaneous fungal infections in the same patient.