A Clinical Study on Tinea Corporis

Park, Young Woon; Park, Hyun Sun; Yoon, Hyun Sun; Cho, Soyun

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Tinea corporis includes all superficial dermatophyte infections of the skin other than those involving the scalp, beard, hands, feet, and groin.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical features of tinea corporis. METHOD: Clinical findings of tinea corporis diagnosed at Boramae Medical Center in the last 10 years were analyzed retrospectively.
RESULTS
For the 10-year study, a total of 422 patients were analyzed. Male-to-female ratio was 0.8:1, and patients were diagnosed most often in their twenties (26.5%). Average duration of the lesions before visiting our clinic was 4.9 months. Skin lesions appeared most frequently in the summer (45.3%). Clinical appearance was most often annular (83.9%), followed by eczematous annular (13.7%) and plaque type (2.4%). Average number of lesions was 4. Lesions over 5 cm in longest diameter accounted for 47.2%; however, when occurring in the face they were significantly less frequent (4.9%). Lesions developed in unexposed areas in 60.4%, most commonly on the chest, followed by back and buttock. In 60% of patients, concurrent dermatophytosis of other regions were present, most commonly tinea pedis (58%), followed by tinea unguium (31.2%). History of prior contact with animal was in 12.3% of total but significantly higher in facial lesions (54.7%).
CONCLUSION
Dermatologists should always examine the feet and toenails of patients with suspected tinea corporis since over half of these patients harbor fungal infection in the feet.