A statistical 30-year study of dermatomycosis in Sendai National Hospital 
(1968-1997) revealed many changes in the prevalent diseases: Tinea pedis and 
tinea unguium constantly increased during this period, and the ratio of the 
former associated with nail infection finally reached 30% of all tinea pedis 
patients. On the contrary, tinea corporis and cruris showed a remarkable 
decreasing tendency. Patient age distribution of each disease also showed 
distinctive changes, generally increasing in the older generation and decreasing 
in the younger. The number of patients with tinea pedis and unguium gradually 
increased among the middle and older generations, with the peak of the 
age-distribution curve shifting upward year after year. On the other hand, cases 
of tinea cruris among the younger generation were few in the latest years, and 
middle-age patients remained at a low number. In the first stage of this study 
the kinds of atiologic dermatophytes consisted of multiple species, but after 
middle period the isolation of Epidermaphyton floccosum decreased. Microsporum 
canis appeared first in 1976 but in the recent several years has completely 
disappeared. In the last few years of the period studied Trichophyton rubrum and 
Trichophyton mentagrophytes were the only isolates found from among all types of 
dermatophytoses. Infantile candidiasis remarkably increased in 1970-1975 but 
thereafter decreased rapidlly. Candidial intertrigo also increased in the same 
period but did not decrease as much thereafter and continued at the same 
intermediate level. The number of other types of candidiases were not greatly 
changed throughout the 30-year period. Malassezia infection also showed no 
remarkable changes, and only 20 cases of sporothrichosis were found. One case of 
the deep seated form of cutaneous aspergillosis was found, and this was also 
true of chromomycosis caused by Fonceaea pedrosoi.