Trichophyton (T.) mentagrophytes ITS genotype VIII, also known as Trichophyton indotineae, is a new species of the T. mentagrophytes/T. interdigitale complex and its first records, albeit under a different species name, are from the Indian subcontinent, Middle Eastern Asia, and West Asia. T. mentagrophytes genotype VIII (T. indotineae) has spread globally and has now been documented in over 30 countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and proportion of terbinafine- and itraconazole-resistant isolates of T. mentagrophytes ITS genotype VIII (T. indotineae) in Bangladesh. This was part of an official collaborative project between IADVL (Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists, and Leprologists) and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Bangladesh. Over a period of 6 months, ninety-nine patients of chronic recalcitrant tinea corporis were recruited from BSMMU hospital. Species identification was performed by fungal culture and morphological observation of the upper and lower surfaces of fungal colonies, as well as by using fluorescent microscopy. In addition, a PCR (polymerase chain reaction)-ELISA was performed to group the patients into those with the T. mentagrophytes/T. interdigitale complex. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene was sequenced. Samples were tested for resistance to terbinafine and itraconazole by mutational analyses of the squalene epoxidase (SQLE) and the ergosterol 11B (ERG11B) genes. A total of 79/99 samples showed a positive culture. In 76 of these isolates, T. mentagrophytes ITS genotype VIII (T. indotineae) could be reliably identified both by culture and molecular testing. Resistance testing revealed terbinafine resistance in 49 and itraconazole resistance in 21 patients. Among these, 11 patients were resistant to both the antifungal agents. Mutations L393S, L393F, F397L, and F397I of the SQLE gene were associated with terbinafine resistance. Resistance to itraconazole could not be explained by mutations in the ERG11B gene. Infections with T. mentagrophytes ITS genotype VIII (T. indotineae) have become a public health issue with potentially global ramifications. About 62% of samples from Bangladesh showed resistance to terbinafine, making oral itraconazole the most effective drug currently available, although resistance to itraconazole and both terbinafine and itraconazole also exists.

Background: The prevalence of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) varies widely in different epidemiologic studies from different parts of the world and very few data are available from South Asia. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HS in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methods: An exploratory, cross-sectional, and descriptive study was done among 2,500 consecutive healthy accompanying adults of patients attending at the outpatient department (except dermatology), at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. This was an initiative of Global Hidradenitis Suppurativa Atlas (GHiSA), and it therefore followed the approach previously published by Bouazzi et al. Results: Out of a total of 2,377 accompanying persons, 3 were diagnosed with HS. The point prevalence was 0.13% (CI: 0.04%–0.37%), sensitivity was 0.1 (3/3), specificity was 0.1 (23/23), positive predictive value positive predictive value (PPV) was 0.1 (3/3), and the negative predictive value was 0.1 (23/23). The median age of the HS patients was 45.0, and the median BMI was 28.0. All 3 confirmed HS were male. Conclusions: The prevalence of HS in Bangladesh is lower than in western countries and other GHiSA studies like Singapore, Ghana, and Greenland.