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Data for dermatophyte infections analysed for five 3-year periods between 1954 to 1981 led to the following conclusions: Tinea pedis, tinea cruris and tinea manuum showed an increase in the 50's and 60's and declined in the 70's; Tinea unguium and tinea corporis showed an increase during the whole period; At all these sites, the percentage of Trichophyton rubrum, the main etiologic agent, increased steadily over the periods while the percentage of Trichophyton mentagrophytes, the secondary etiological agent, decreased. Epidermophyton floccosum, the third etiological agent in these sites, showed no sharp fluctuations; These three dermatophytes which show similar microclimatic requirements and favour the same microecological niches, were called 'glabrohydrophilic'. In tinea corporis they form a definite subset, their percentage being similar to that at other glabrous sites; Tinea capitis was at its peak in the 50's, decreased sharply until the second half of the 70's, its main etiological agent being Trichophyton violaceum. Since 1979, an increase of tinea capitis occurred due to the newly introduced Microsporum canis; Dermatophytes favouring scalp hair were called 'trichophilic'. In tinea corporis they form a definite subset, their percentage being similar to that of tinea capitis; A comparison with other studies from this country shows that macroclimate (i.e. humid warm coastal climate compared with dry cooler inland-mountain climate) is not an important factor in the etiology of tinea.

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A family is presented in which the proposita, affected with thalassaemia major, developed a chronic leg ulcer at the age of 14 years. Her eldest brother, not affected with thalassaemia, had a transient leg ulcer at the age of 18 years and a second brother, affected with thalassaemia minor, developed leg ulcers when aged 15 years. Al three siblings were glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient.