2042 TROPICAL DERMATOMYCOSES 



C Aspergillus Michtli, 1^2$ "j 

 X. Due to fungi of thej P^m"c«7/«wm Link, 1809 



genera | Mom7«a Persoon, 1791 j ™ta. 



\Montoyella Castellani, 190 7 J 

 XI. Due to fungi of the f ^- g^g^^^^^^ Behrend, piedra. 



Behrend, 1890 [ determined | trichomycosis. 



XII. Due to fungi of the^ ^ . 1, • 



genus Pityros'borum [Piiyi'osporum canthei Castellani. 1907, variety 

 Sabouraud, 1903 J tropical seborrhoea. 



From the above table it will be seen that tropical dermatomy- 

 coses 5ms2/ stricto — viz., occurring only in the tropics — are com- 

 paratively few. Most of them are endemic also in temperate zones, 

 though occurring there rarely, or at any rate less frequently than 

 in the tropics. We may mention as examples tinea cruris and 

 Madura foot. The same remark, however, applies to every other 

 branch of tropical medicine. 



The frequency of dermatomycoses in the tropics is probably due 

 to the hot, damp climate being very favourable to the growth of 

 vegetal parasites. 



TINEA CRURIS (DHOBIE ITCH). 



Synonyms. — Tinea tropicalis. Tinea inguinalis. Tinea axillaris. 

 Eczema marginatum. 



Definition.- — The term ' tinea cruris ' indicates a group of epider- 

 mophytoses and trichophytoses which are clinically characterized 

 by their tendency to develop on the scroto-crural and inguinal 

 regions. 



Historical and Geographical.^ — Tinea cruris is extremely common 

 all over the tropics; it is met with also in subtropical regions, and 

 in temperate zones, being first described by Hebra in Europe under 

 the name of eczema marginatum. In 1905, Castellani, as the 

 result of the investigation of numerous cases, came to the conclusion 

 that it should be separated from the ordinary forms of tinea corporis, 

 and MacLeod suggested the name tinea cruris for the ^affection. 

 For the fungus most frequently found in such cases, characterized 

 by the yellowish cultures, Castellani used the name Trichophyton 

 cruris. Pernet found and described a fungus for which Castellani 

 suggested later the name Trichophyton perneti. In 1907 Sabouraud 

 investigated in a complete manner the condition in France which he 

 called tinea inguinalis. There can be no doubt that tinea inguinalis 

 and dhobie itch, or tinea cruris, are the same entity, as Sabouraud 

 and Pinoy, having compared cultures of Epidermophyton cruris 

 isolated in Ceylon with those found in France, have found them 

 identical. 



Castellani's further researches have shown that other fungi 

 besides Ep. cruris may give rise to tinea cruris, each species giving 

 rise to a slightly different clinical variety of the eruption. 



