study of dermatophytic fungal species in covered swimming pools in yazd, iran

background: superficial and cutaneous fungal infections can be transmitted through using covered swimming pools. this study was conducted in order to assess the dermatophyte fungi, ph and residual chlorine levels in covered pools of yazd, iran in 2009. methods: in the current descriptive cross-sectional study, carpet sampling was used to collect 100 samples from different areas of 4 randomly selected covered swimming pools in yazd. mycosel agar plates were cultured in order to separate and identify dermatophytic fungal species. the ph and residual chlorine levels of the water were also measured in this study. findings: seven out of 100 samples had positive culture of pathogenic dermatophyte fungi. dressing rooms, sauna and foot-bath parts were contaminated. anthropophilic trichophyton mentagrophytes (6 cases) and epidermophyton floccosum (1 case) were isolated especially in summer. water ph ranged from 7.8 to 8.2 and residual chlorine levels varied from 0.4 to 0.7 mg/l. conclusion: since anthropophilic dermatophytes were identified in the studied swimming pools, pathogenic fungi can be transmitted from swimmers to the environment of the pool. therefore, paying attention to personal hygiene by swimmers, preventing the entrance of infected people, and maintaining good sanitation conditions in the water and environment of the swimming pools are necessary.