Analysis of clinical and histopathological findings of PAS positive dermatophytose cases

Purpose: in most cases, dermatophytosis is diagnosed routinely without histopathological examination.spongiotic or psoriasiform features are frequently found in fungal dermatoses but these histopathological findings are not proficient for diagnosis. the aim of the study is to identify characteristic histopathogical clues and to emphasize the diagnostic significance of dermatophytosis stained with histochemical method of periodic acid-schiff [pas].materials and methods: in this study; pas and hematoxylin and eosin [h&e] stained slides and their clinical parameters of 19 dermatophytose cases confirmed by pas stain were reevaluated. we compared histopathological and histochemical findings with clinical findings of all cases.results: fungal microorganisms were identified with pas stained slides in 68.4 % cases in which fungal infection had not been suspected clinically. we detected perifolliculitis in all endothrix infection visualised cases.this finding and the presence of parakeratosis were significant for fungal infections.conclusion: therefore, histochemical pas stain is required for fungal diagnosis in any spongiotic or psoriasiform dermatitis. also, the presence of parakeratosis and endothrix as well as the perifolliculitis findings should be kept in mind as helpful pathologic clues to facilitate an accurate diagnosis of dermatophytic infections.