Dermatomycosis in Renal Allograft Recipients

Immunosuppressive therapy will make renal allograft recipients susceptible to opportunistic fungal skin infections. This study was done to determine the relation between immunosuppressive therapy and fungal skin infections in renal allograft recipient patients. The statistical population included all of the renal allograft recipients referred to Uremia Imam hospital who were treated by immunosuppressive drugs. Data was collected by a questionnaire containing proper questions about the history of skin lesions and type of consumed immunosuppressive drugs and the duration of treatment. Samples were obtained from skin using scatch tape and scrapping methods. Depend on the type of samples, smears were made using gram stain and KOH. The majority of samples were cultured in proper culture media. Of 220 allograft recipient patients examed during a six months period, 48 cases (21.8%) was positive for one kind of skin fungi infections. The percentages of pityriasis versicolor and nail and skin candidiasis were 52% & 20% respectively. We found that erythrasma, pityrosporosis, co-infection with pityriasis versicolor and candidiasis and disseminated skin infections were 3, 3, 3 and 46 cases respectively. With respect to the result of this study in patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs, in addition to urinary system infections, skin fungi infections are also considerable.