**1. Introduction**

30 Epidemiology Insights

[43] Tortorano, A. M., J. Peman, H. Bernhardt, L. Klingspor, C. C. Kibbler, O. Faure, E.

[44] Trick, W. E., S. K. Fridkin, J. R. Edwards, R. A. Hajjeh, and R. P. Gaynes. 2002. Secular

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and risk factors for death. *Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis*. 21:767–774. [46] Voss, A., J. A. Kluytmans, J. G. Koeleman, L. Spanjaard, C. M. Vandenbroucke-Grauls,

United States during 1989–1999. *Clin. Infect. Dis*. 35: 627–630.

Italian region. *J. Hosp. Infect*. 51:297–304.

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of Medical Mycology (ECMM) prospective survey of candidaemia: report from one

Biraghi, E. Canton, K. Zimmermann, S. Seaton, and R. Grillot. 2004. Epidemiology of candidaemia in Europe: results of 28-month European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM) hospital-based surveillance study. *Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect.* 

trend of hospital-acquired candidemia among intensive care unit patients in the

Candidemia at a tertiary-care hospital: epidemiology, treatment, clinical outcome

H. A. Verbrugh, M. C. Vos, A. Y. Weersink, J. A. Hoogkamp-Korstanje, and J. F. Meis. 1996. Occurrence of yeast bloodstream infections between 1987 and 1995 in

Dermatophytes are keratinophilic and keratinolytic fungi. They are characterized by high affinity to keratin-containing tissues, what make them responsible for superficial mycoses of skin (*tinea faciei*, *tinea barbae*, *tinea corporis*, *tinea cruris*, *tinea manuum* or *tinea pedis*), nails (*onychomycosis*, *tinea unguium*) and hair (*tinea capitis*) (Kalinowska et al., 2009a).

Infections caused by dermatophyte fungi are very serious problem, not only clinical, but also epidemiological and therapeutic. The incidence of skin, hair and nail diseases does not depend on sex, age or social status.
