The latent patients of dermatomycosis - Estimation by questionnaire and market research

The number of latent Mizumushi (Trichophytia pompholyciformis) patients in Japan was estimated from a questionnaire on the diseases sent to adults, including university students under twenty years of age. The amount of production and consumption of anti-fungal agents was also examined. 3,076 people answered the questionnaire (1,643 males and 1,433 females). Respondents were divided into three groups according to their experience with Mizumushi: group 1, those having experienced the disease (37.8%); group 2, those possible but not definitely having experienced it (11,1%); and group 3, those without experience (52,5%). Half of those in groups 1 and 2 answered that they were cured; therefore, 25% of all those who replied might still have Mizumushi. 12% of groups 1 and 2 had used nonprescription anti-fungal agents but half of them had stopped using them, so only 6% of groups 1 and 2 use nonprescription drugs for Mizumushi treatment at present. From these replies, we estimated that the number of latent patients in Japan (between twenties and seventies) who use nonprescription drugs is about 4,300,000, while an examination of the amount of nonprescription drugs produced put the figure at about 3,300,000. Actually, however latent patients should include people who do not use anti-fungal agents or who use other drugs. When these were added to the above numbers, we obtained 11,000,000-15,000,000 as the actual number of latent patients suffering from this disease.