Clinicomicrobiological aspects of tinea cruris in madras.

A total of 242 patients with clinically diagnosed tinea cruris were screened and 181 (74.7 %) were found to be positive in culture for dermatophytes. 93.9% of infections were caused by Trichophyton spp., of which 58.4% were Trichophyton rubrum, 5.5% were Epidermophyton floccosum, 3.8% were Trichophyton tonsurans and we had a single isolate of Microsporum gypseum complex. Incidence of tinea cruris was higher in males (95.6%) than in females (4.4%). 45% of the cases were recurrent and 38% of cases were chronic tinea cruris. Three patients had granulomatous lesion. Zoophilic T mentagrophytes was the major aetiologic agent isolated from all the 3 cases of granulomatous tinea cruris.