Epidemiological and clinical aspects of Trichophyton mentagrophytes/Trichophyton interdigitale infections in the Zurich area: a retrospective study using genotyping.

Being able to distinguish between Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton interdigitale is of paramount importance as the two species cause different clinical presentations. In addition, ITS genotyping allows recognizing sources of infection and potential terbinafine resistance. The latter needs to be confirmed by resistance testing or by sequencing part of the squalene epoxidase (SQLE) gene.