The changing face of dermatophytosis: from common skin disease to emerging resistant epidemic

Dermatophytosis is a commonly encountered superficial fungal infection with an affinity for keratin-rich structures, such as skin, hair, and nails. The recently emerging recalcitrant dermatophytosis is a recurrent, relapsing, chronic or persistent disease, which has a significant impact on the social, emotional and financial aspects of a patient's life. Trichophyton indotineae, a newly identified species, unlike its predecessor, has become resistant to conventional therapies. This review highlights the shift of this commonly encountered skin disease from an easily manageable clinical entity to an emerging resistant epidemic. We also discuss why dermatophytosis is being labelled as "designated fungal threat".