Dermatophytosis in Egypt with Special Reference to Immunological Studies on Patients with Trichophyton Violaceum Infection

228 patients clinically diagnosed as superficial fungus infections (115 scaly ringworm of the scalp, 13 black dot, 9 favus, 9 kerion, 48 tinea corporis, 18 tinea cruris, 9 onychomycosis, 5 tinea pedis and 2 tinea barbae) were examined mycologically. 30 cases with T. Violaceum infection were examined immunologically. T. violaceum was the most common dermatophyte (45.6%), T. rubrum (5.3%), T. schoenleinii (4.8), T. mentagrophytes (3.5%) and E. floccosum (1.8%). In 30 cases with T. violaceum infection there was a significant decrease in Erosette particularly in chronic cases. The helper/suppressor ratio of T-lymphocytes (detected by monoclonal antibodies) in patients was 0.99:1 while in control cases it was 1.6:1. There was a marked increase in IgM and IgG but not in IgA levels. The C3c fraction of the complement showed a slight decrease and C4 a marked decrease in comparison with the control.