Author(s): Mohammed Sami Farhan, Sarah Omran Rasheed and Rand Salwan Numan

Abstract: The research investigation was carried out through October 2023 to April 2024, aiming to isolate and diagnose the fungi responsible for athlete's foot in patients who consulted dermatologists at Tikrit Teaching Hospital. The participants, ranging in age from 12 to 65 years, included both sexes and had been diagnosed with the condition. Skin samples were collected from the affected areas after sterilization with cotton swabs soaked in 70% alcohol to eliminate contaminants.. To assess the efficacy of white vinegar in suppressing the isolating fungal species, the proportion of skin fungal infections identified through directly microscopic testing was positive for 62 patients, constituting 62% of the total patient cohort, while the negative cases amounted to 59 patients, representing 59%. Positive laboratory testing for results of cultures were observed in 70 patients, constituting 70%, whereas negative cases amounted to 30, representing 30%. The fungal genus that causes skin infections was isolated, Trychophyton, and the two genera, Microsporum and Epidermophyton, were not isolated.The genus Trichophyton was predominant, comprising 50 isolates from various species, including T. mentagrophytes, responsible for tinea pedis, with 21 isolates representing 30%. T. verrucosum followed with 16 isolates, accounting for 22.85%, while T. rubrum had 9 isolates, corresponding to 12.85%. The proportion of the fungus T. tonsurans was 5.71 (i.e. a number of 4 isolates), in addition to the isolation of some types of yeasts that infect tinea pedis with a number of isolates of 20, including c.albicans, with a proportion of 17.14% and 12 isolates, followed by C. glabrata yeast, having a percentage about 11.42% and 8 isolates. Current study showed that 49% of the samples of tinea pedis in males were positive, while only 21% of females yielded a favorable outcome on the cultural media. As for the age groups, those infected with tinea pedis, whose ages ranged from 12 to 20 years, were the most susceptible to infection, as their percentage was 50%, while those who ranged in age from 31-40 years, their percentage of infection was 4.28%, and they were the least susceptible to infection.The results of the effect of white vinegar on both isolated fungi and yeasts showed that all fungal isolates were sensitive to white vinegar at a concentration of 10% and it was the most efficient inhibitor for fungi and yeasts. The results indicated that white vinegar inhibited T. mentagrophyte fungus at a diameter of 10%, measuring 12.5 mm, while at a concentration of 20% it is 32 mm, while at a concentration of 30% it is 40 mm compared to the control, which was 44.5 mm in diameter, while the effect of white vinegar on C. albicans yeast at a concentration of 10% is 10 mm, while at a concentration of 20% it is 13 mm, while at a concentration of 30% it is 18 mm, C. glabrate at a concentration of 10% is 2 mm, while at a concentration of 20% it is 6 mm, while at a concentration of 30% it is 10 mm.

DOI: 10.22271/27889289.2024.v4.i2c.158

Pages: 190-195 | Views: 78 | Downloads: 25

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