Dermatophytosis and HIV infection. A study in homosexual men.

Mycological and clinical investigations were carried out in 193 homosexual men, 83 of whom had HIV antibodies, and 117 heterosexual men. Dermatophytes were recovered from the feet in 37.3% of HIV seropositive homosexual men, 31.8% of seronegative homosexual men and 8.6% of heterosexual men. Tinea pedis in homosexual men was significantly more common with increasing age. There was an increased number of sexual partners in the group of homosexual men with tinea pedis. Two dermatophytes were recovered from single samples in 14.5% of homosexual men with dermatophytosis. Dermatophytes were occasionally isolated from clinically normal toe clefts. Present results point to the importance of dermatophytes in nail dystrophy affecting patients with advanced HIV infection. Dermatophytosis in homosexual men was not associated with any changes in counts of blood T lymphocyte subsets or skin reactivity to tuberculin.