Cutaneous Fungal Infections in Greek Competitive Swimmers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background/Objectives: Cutaneous fungal infections, specifically tinea pedis, pityriasis versicolor, and tinea onguium (onychomycosis), are common yet under-researched in swimming. This study aimed to evaluate their prevalence and associated risk factors among competitive swimmers in Greece. Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was administered to 1,047 participants, comprising parents of minor swimmers and adult athletes. Data collected included demographics, infection history, training characteris-tics, and hygiene behaviors. Results: The overall prevalence was 16% for tinea pedis, 3.2% for pityriasis versicolor and 3.3% for tinea unguium. Infection rates increased sig-nificantly with age and cumulative training years. Behavioral analysis revealed that placing towel and clothes on communal benches was associated with tinea pedis (p=0.031) and pityriasis versicolor (p< 0.007). Sharing kickboards correlated with all three infections, while sharing flip-flops was specifically linked to tinea pedis and tin-ea unguium. Family history was a strong predictor for pityriasis versicolor. Conclu-sions: This study highlights the high prevalence of bacterial skin infections in Greek swimmers, likely due to moisture exposure, shared equipment, and specific hygiene habits.