Distribution of Causative Fungi in Home Environment of Parients with Tinea Capitis Caused bu Microsporum Canis

Oh, Su Hee; Suh, Soon Bong; Chung, Sang Lip

Abstract

Isolation of Microsporum canis from home environment was carried out for 30 tinea capitis patients infected by M, canis. M. canis was isolated in 84.2-100% of patients caps, mattresses, clothes and pillows and families' clothes. The greatest mean number of M. canis colonies per petri dish was found in the patients pillows and followed by caps, mattresses, outerwear, and underwear. Mean number of M. canis colonies in the clothes of mothers, grandmothers, brothers, sisters and roommates of patients was smaller than that of the M. canis colonies in the clothes of patients but greater than that isolated from the clothes of other family members. Frequency of isolation and mean number of colonies decreased drarnatically after 2 weeks therapy and rarely isolated after 6 weeks therapy. M. canis was isolated in 100% of the house dust of patients. Isolation index was greater in the house dust of patients with concomittant infection of other family members and with lesions of scaly and inflammatory type. M. canis was isolated from cats and goat of patients by the hair brush technique.