“Even dermatologists misdiagnose and mismanage fungal infections.”
Dermatologists face a number of obstacles when using fungal diagnostic preparations to diagnose cutaneous fungal infections.
In an article from Dermatology Times, Lisette Hilton cites findings from an August 2019 study (“Use of In-Office Preparations by Dermatologists for the Diagnosis of Cutaneous Fungal Infections“) published in the JDD that although cutaneous fungal infections account for millions of office visits per year, yet their varied presentations often lead to misdiagnosis.
“Cutaneous fungal infections account for 3.5 to 6.5 million office visits per year1 – despite being common, their diverse presentations frequently lead to misdiagnosis.2,3 In one study, only 4 out of 13 dermatophytosis cases presented were accurately identified by more than 75% of board-certified dermatologists.4 In addition, other conditions can mimic fungal infections, such as mycosis fungoides5 or inflammatory diseases including annular psoriasis, secondary syphilis, and pityriasis rosea.4″
Despite the importance of bedside fungal preparations, dermatologists’ attitudes towards and utilization of these tests are unknown. An IRB-approved survey was disseminated to the Orlando Dermatology Aesthetic and Clinical Conference (ODAC) email list and the data was collected via an internet-based platform. The survey study examined dermatologists’ perceptions of fungal preparations and identified barriers preventing their use.
