Abstract

Context: Infections caused by funguses are increasing at a steady rate worldwide. Elderly individuals and who are at an immunocompromised state are at risk of developing this disease. Though fungal infections which either manifest as cutaneous or invasive type, Cutaneous lesions are very common. Fungal diseases are diagnosed usually by correlating the clinical findings with histopathology and confirmation is done based on culture. Aim: The current study was aimed at categorizing the spectrum of fungal infections diagnosed in the histopathology specimens and their distribution according to age, sex and site of involvement. Settings and Design: This was a cross sectional analysis, conducted over a period of one year from September 2016 to August 2017. Methods and Material: A total of 60 cases were enrolled in the study. Clinical findings inclusive of age and sex parameters were noted from hospital registrars. Specimens were fixed in formalin and processed under standard procedure protocols. Slides were prepared and stained with routine H & E stain; special stains like PAS and GMS stains were used wherever necessary. Statistical analysis used: Data analysis was using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Software version 21. Significance of the statistical tests at P value less than 0.05 was based on 95% confidence interval. Results: Out of 60 cases, 18 cases turned out to be positive for fungal infection. The mean age of the studied population was 49.11 years (SD 11.02). The male female ratio was found to be 0.8:1. The mean age of male population was found to be 53.375 years (SD 7.44), mean age of female population was 45.7 years (SD 12.54). The commonest fungal infection encountered in our study was Rhinosporidiosis. Conclusions: Histopathological examination provides reliable diagnosis in individuals with uncertain clinical findings of fungal infection.

• 1.   Naggie S, Perfect J R. Molds: hyalohyphomycosis, phaeohyphomycosis, and zygomycosis. Clin. Chest Med. 2009;30(2):337–53.
• 2.   Das A, Bal A, Chakrabarti A, Panda N, Joshi K. Spectrum of fungal rhinosinusitis; histopathologist’s perspective. Histopathology. 2009;54(7):854–9.
• 3.   Havlickova B, Czaika VA, Friedrich M. Epidemiological trends in skin mycoses worldwide. Mycoses. 2008;51(Suppl 4):2–15.
• 4.   Ginter-Hanselmayer G, Weger W, Ilkit M, Smolle J. Epidemiology of tinea capitis in Europe: current state and changing patterns. Mycoses. 2007;50 (Suppl 2):6–13.
• 5.   Damjanov I, Linder J. Andersons pathology, tenth edition. 1996:951-62.
• 6.   Elder DR. Levers Histopathology of the skin. 10th ed. Philaelphia; Wolter Klnwer/ Lippincott Williams & Willams, 2008.
• 7.   Bancroft D, Gamble M. Theory and practice of histological techniques. 5th ed. 2002.
• 8.   Muniyappa Usha, HB Rakshitha, Jasuja Avnika, Asok Aneesha, Reginald Sharon. Morphological spectrum of fungal infections: a retrospective study. International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health. 2016;5(8):1673.
• 9.   Richardson MD. Changing patterns and trends in systemic fungal infections. J Antimicrob Chemother 2005;56:5-11.
• 10.   M. Richardson and C. Lass-Flo¨rl. Changing epidemiology of systemic fungal infections, Clin Microbiol Infect. 2008;14(Suppl. 4):5-24.
• 11.   Sarath N.A. and leonel Mendoza. Rhinosporidiosis. In: Toppley and Wilsons Medical mycology 10th ed. Hodder Arnold. pp436-72.
• 12.   Lulu Ahmad Al-Bhlal, fungal infection of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses: review of 26 cases. Ann Saudi Med. 1996;16(6):615-21.
• 13.   Goldstain MF. Allergic fungal sinusitis-an underdiagnosed problem. Hosp prac. 1992;27-73.
• 14.   Jeannette Guarner and Mary E. Brandt. Histopathologic Diagnosis of Fungal Infections in the 21st Century. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 2011 April;24(2):247–80.
• 15.   Karkuzhali P, Yogambal M, Karthik S. Two Cases of Multiple Subcutaneous Cystic Phaeohyphomycosis in Immunocompromised Patients with a Rare Causative Organism. Indian J Dermatol. 2014;59(4):421.
• 16.   Kaliyamoorthy S, Srinivasan S. Histopathological study of cutaneous and soft tissue fungal infections. Int J Res Med Sci. 2016;4:1933-7.
• 17.   Sridevi M, Vimala C, Chitra S. Clinicopathological spectrum of fungal infections in a Tertiary Care Centre. Indian Journal of Pathology and Oncology 2018;5(1):130-5.
• 18.   Kanjanapradit K, Kosjerina Z, Tanomkiat W, Keeratichananont W, Panthuwong S. Pulmonary Cryptococcosis Presenting With Lung Mass: Report of 7 Cases and Review of Literature. Clinical Medicine Insights: Pathology. 2017;10:1–5.