The Assessment of Bacterial and Fungal Biodiversity in Korean Dermatomycoses Patients: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: Dermatophytes are the most common cause of fungal infections worldwide, having an estimated prevalence of 20% by the World Health Organization. Recent advances of sequencing and annotation of fungi explain the biodiversity evaluation and genomic identification of dermatophytes. Objective: This study's objective is to assess the mycobiome and microbiome in different dermatomycoses and identify their pathogenic organisms using fungal genomic analyses. Besides, we wanted to see the topographical biodiversity in dermatomycoses. Methods: Patients with dermatophyte infections confirmed by positive potassium peroxide examination were enrolled. Bacterial and fungal DNA were extracted from the skin sample. The internal transcribed spacer regions of rRNA gene and multiple variable regions in 16S rRNA gene were assessed to determine the fungal and bacterial community compositions. Results: We profiled both bacterial and fungal communities in the fungal-infected skin. Dermatophyte infection resulted in modified bacterial microbiome. The alpha diversity showed that the bacterial diversity was relatively low in tinea cruris patients compared to other dermatomycoses patients. Nonetheless, fungal diversity was not impacted by the body site but by the causative fungal organisms. Tinea pedis, tinea corporis, and tinea cruris due to Trichophyton species were similar as seen in principle component analysis. Alpha diversity demonstrates the tinea corporis on the leg had the most diverse fungal mycobiome and the scalp is the least diverse area. Conclusion: Sequencing and annotation of dermatophyte genomes of superficial skin infections will give sources that will help explain the virulence mechanisms of the dermatophyte. Understanding the pathogenesis of dermatophyte infections can help in generating effective therapeutics in the future.