The Epidemiological, Clinical and Mycological Studies on Trichophytosis Gladiatorum Prevailing Among Korean Wrestlers

Jun, Jae Bok; Kim, Yeong Doo

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Trichophytosis gladiatorum is dermatophytosis transmitted by a physical contact between wrestlers. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the current status of the illness in Korean amateur wreatlers. METHOD: The epidemiological, clinical and mycological studies were performed on dermatophytosis in a total of 1, 394 Korean amateur wrestlers through a nation-wide group examination from July, 1995 to April, 1996. RESULTS: A number of 575 (42.5%) cases of tinea were detected throughout the country among 1, 394 wrestlers. The prevalence rate of tinea in wrestling students was 48.4% for middle school, 41.4% for high school, 30% for college and above. The head and neck area was the predilection site of the skin lesions, which decreased in number as moving towards legs. As a whole, the lesions affected the right half of the body 1.7 times as more frequently as the left half. The tendency of a predilection for the right side of the body was most prominent on the head, typified by auricle (2.8 times). In case of the scalp, the lesions developed on the right temporal, right occipital, left occipital and left temporal regions, in decreasing order. The scalp lesions were noted in 44.7% of the total tinea patients - erythematous scaly patches affecting 69.2% of the total tinea capitis patients, followed by alopecia, black dot ringworm, seborrheic dermatitis-like scales, folliculitits, cervical lymphadenitis, kerion celsi, in decreasing order. From 360 patients (62.6%), dermatophytes were isolated - 359 strains of Trichophyton tonsurans (207 of sulfureum variety, 137 of mahogany variety, 15 of both), 1 of Microsporum canis. The varieties of T. tonsurans showed a tendency to occur in groups in the same districts and teams. CONCLUSION: Trichophytosis gladiatorum due to T. tonsurans is prevailing among Korean wrestler. Proper epidemiological measures must be taken to prevent further spreading of the disease.