AbstractIntroduction: The incidence of superficial mycosis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is increasing in India. Aims and objectives: 1. To determine the prevalence, clinical variations, common aetiological agents of superficial mycoses and its CD4 count in HIVpositive subjects in our area. Methods and Material: A study was carried out among 150 HIV positive patients over a period of 18 months. Clinical observations were followed by conventional laboratory methods for diagnosis of aetiological fungal species. Results: The number of patients 62/150 (41.3%) had at least one superficial mycosis. Dermatophytosis (64.71%) was the commonest presentation followed by onychomycosis (26.47% ). The two sites involvement was seen in 9.67% followed by (2.94%) patients each with extensive tinea corporis and tinea versicolor. The fungal species isolated were T. rubrum (35.29%), T. mentagrophyte (10.29%), T. verrucosum (2.94%), T. tonsurans (2.94%), T. schonlenii (1.47%) and M. canis (1.47%). Non-dermatophytes identified were Candida spp. (8.82%), Scopulariopsis spp. (5.88%), Fusarium spp. (1.47%) and Malassezia spp. (2.94%). Only one isolate of Sporothrix sckenskii was isolated. Statistical analysis: by using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software. Conclusions: In majority of patients, the clinical presentations did not differ from those found in immunocompetent individuals. We found nondermatophytic onychomycosis and atypical presentations which is rare in immunecompetent patients. We found no increased incidence of superficial mycosis with decreased CD4 count.
Keywords: CD4 Count; HIV; Superficial Mycosis.