A Clinical and Mycological Study of Tinea Capitis

Kim, Sang Min; Lee, Yang Won; Ahn, Kyu Joong

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The incidence of tinea capitis was the least in the middle of 1970s, and thereafter it has been markedly increased along with other superficial mycoses due to Microsporum canis. But the incidence and causative dermatophytes of tinea capitis has been changed with time and location.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the recent clinical and mycological trends of tinea capitis in Seoul area. METHOD: We performed clinical and mycological study on 35 cases of tinea capitis which have been diagnosed by KOH examination or fungus culture at the department of dermatology, Konkuk University Hospital from 2001 to 2006.
RESULTS
The incidence of tinea capitis was 2.9% of 1,205 superficial fungal infections. The ratio of male to female patients was 1:1.19. 20 patients (57.1%) were children under the age of 15, and 15 patients (42.9%) were the age of 15 to 80. The most common site of tinea capitis was parietal. Tinea faciale was combined in 9 cases (69.2%). In clinical features, the gray patch type was showed in 60%, seborreic dermatitis-like lesion in 17.1%, pustular folliculitis-like in 11.4%, and kerion celsi in 11.4% of patients with tinea capitis. Microsporum(M) canis was the most common causative fungi of tinea capitis (82.1%), with Trichophyton(T) rubrum (14.3%), T. mentagraphytes var. mentagraphytes (3.6%) in the order of decreasing frequency.
CONCLUSION
As evidenced above, contrary to traditional concept that tinea capitis affects predominantly male children, there was no significant difference between two sexes in prevalence, and the frequency was 34.4% in adults, which is a significantly high figure compared to the past. While the most common causative fungi of tinea capitis was M. canis, T. rubrum and T. mentagraphytes var. mentagraphytes were recovered in 18% of cases, which suggests these two fungi must be kept under constant surveillance. Also among diagnostic measure, fungus culture showed 80% of positive rate, which makes it an essential tool for accurate diagnosis.