Clinic of Dermatology

The department of dermatology and venereology provides a comprehensive hospital based service for the diagnosis and management of skin, hair and nail fungal infections.

Are you predisposed to fungal infections?

Factors that predispose to fungal infections are: excessive sweating with skin maceration, application of creams, poor hygiene, and lack of undecilenic acid in the sweat, diabetes, other endocrine anomalies, immunosuppressive diseases, long-term antibiotic or corticosteroid therapy.

How does the fungal infection look like?

• Skin lesions are typically slowly enlarging itching patches with scales and redness prominent at the periphery.
• Mucoses: accumulation of whitish material with a specific smell.
• Hair: hair broken off or hair loss .
• Nails: changes in colour and destruction of nails.

Services that we offer:

We provide a comprehensive service for the diagnosis and management of fungal infections through the provision of clinical and laboratory services and expert treatment advice. We identify a fungal infection by various methods:

Observation of the skin under Wood’s light: The suspicious region of the skin is illuminated by a special lamp in a dark room. The lamp is emitting ultraviolet A rays ( “black light”) and diagnosis is based upon the various type of fluorescence, caused by Wood’s light in the object. The examination is safe and rapid.

Microscopic examination of KOH slides: We take scrapings from skin and nails or a few hairs and we mix them with 30% KOH on a slide, after which the slide is examined by our highly qualified medical staff under the microscope. The results are ready within minutes.

Culture metods: We take skin and nail scrapings, hairs, swab material from mucoses which are cultured in laboratory conditions on special nutritional media. The fungus is growing slowly on the media. A sample from it can be taken for microscopic evaluation or biochemical identification. The results may take time (3 days- 15 days depending on the fungal type).

Histological examination of slides we take a skin biopsy and examine the material under the microscope after the material has been processed with specific stains that identify superficial, subcutaneous and systemic fungal infections. The results are ready with a few days.

Our aim is to offer an accurate and speedy diagnostic service, working in cooperation with our hospital based team:

• isolation of fungi from clinical specimens;
• identification of dermatophytes, moulds and yeasts isolated from clinical specimens;
• staining and examination of histological sections for presence of fungal pathogens;
• immuno-histochemical staining techniques for specific identification of fungal pathogens.

Highly qualified dermatologists will manage your fungal infection by prescribing you the latest active antifungal treatment.

How to access the service?

Clinical ward consultations can be arranged by contacting the Department of Dermatology and Venereology.

Explanations: Fungal infection: mycosis is infection, caused by primitive plant species. Dermatophytes, moulds and yeasts: causative agents of fungal infections are classified into 3 species: dermatophytes, moulds and yeasts and are defined as Fungi imperfecti.

Antifungal treatment can be topical (creams, ointments), systemic (tablets, capsules and solutions) or combined.