Tinea capitis among children at one suburban primary school in the City of Maputo, Mozambique. (17/37)

This study evaluated the prevalence of Tinea capitis among schoolchildren at one primary school and also identified the causative agents. Scalp flakes were collected from children presenting clinical signs suggestive of Tinea capitis. Dermatophytes were identified by following standard mycological procedures. This study found a clinical prevalence of Tinea capitis of 9.6% (110/1149). The dermatophytes isolated were Microsporum audouinii, Trichophyton violaceum, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The most prevalent causative agent in this study was Microsporum audouinii, thus confirming the findings from previous cross-sectional studies carried out in the city of Maputo.  (+info)

Epidemiology of sporadic (non-epidemic) cases of Trichophyton tonsurans infection in Japan based on PCR-RFLP analysis of non-transcribed spacer region of ribosomal RNA gene. (18/37)

A number of cases of Trichophyton tonsurans infection have been reported among sportsmen and women participating in wrestling, judo, and sumo wrestling in Japan, but there have also been sporadic reports of cases with no history of contact with these sports. A molecular method using restriction enzyme analysis of PCR-amplified fragments targeting the non-transcribed spacer region (NTS) of ribosomal RNA gene in fungal nuclei was applied to T. tonsurans strains isolated from sporadic cases in Japan. Five of 6 molecular types recorded in Japan, i.e., NTS types I, II, IV, V, and VI, and two new types, designated NTS VII and NTS VIII, were observed among 10 strains isolated from sporadic cases. The NTS IV strains, considered not to be related to the present epidemic, were found to be the most prevalent molecular type accounting for 4 of the 10 strains isolated. NTS I was the most prevalent type in the current epidemic in Japan, but it was cultured from only one patient who was later noted to be the daughter of a retired judo practitioner. Four subjects had histories of living abroad and were considered to have been infected outside Japan. The strains in these cases were NTS II, V, VI, and VII. The results of this study suggested that the NTS IV strains were originally present in Japan at a low incidence, but that there has been a recent influx of NTS I, II, V, VI, and VII from abroad, which has been accompanied by the secondary spread of strains from wrestlers and practitioners of martial arts to the general community.  (+info)

Common tinea infections in children. (19/37)

The common dermatophyte genera Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton are major causes of superficial fungal infections in children. These infections (e.g., tinea corporis, pedis, cruris, and unguium) are typically acquired directly from contact with infected humans or animals or indirectly from exposure to contaminated soil or fomites. A diagnosis usually can be made with a focused history, physical examination, and potassium hydroxide microscopy. Occasionally, Wood's lamp examination, fungal culture, or histologic tissue examination is required. Most tinea infections can be managed with topical therapies; oral treatment is reserved for tinea capitis, severe tinea pedis, and tinea unguium. Topical therapy with fungicidal allylamines may have slightly higher cure rates and shorter treatment courses than with fungistatic azoles. Although oral griseofulvin has been the standard treatment for tinea capitis, newer oral antifungal agents such as terbinafine, itraconazole, and fluconazole are effective, safe, and have shorter treatment courses.  (+info)

Case of kerion celsi caused by Microsporum gypseum (Arthroderma gypseum ) in a child. (20/37)

We report a case of kerion celsi caused by Microsporum gypseum and present some epidemiological statistics and a distribution of the mating types of M. gypseum . A 10-year-old healthy boy living in Narita, Chiba Prefecture, visited the Narita Red Cross Hospital in October 2004 with complaints of a scaly erythematous plaque and alopecia. Before the visit, he had been treated with steroid lotions and antibiotics without success. A direct examination of the diseased hair shaft using a potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution revealed the presence of fungal hyphae outside the hair shafts. The patient showed a positive reaction to the trichophytin test. The fungus isolated from the lesion was identified as M. gypseum on the basis of its morphological and physiological characteristics and the results of molecular biological analysis. The sequence of the gene coding for the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 region of ribosomal RNA (ITS 1 rDNA) was homologous to that of Arthroderma gypseum (DDBJ accession no. AB193684). The isolate was confirmed to be A. gypseum (-) mating type on the basis of crossing experiments with (+) and (-) mating types of A. gypseum, A. incurvatum , and A. fluvum . The patient was successfully treated with 50 mg/day (1.6 mg/kg/day) of itraconazole for 4.5 months.  (+info)

Diagnosing and treating hair loss. (21/37)

Physicians should be careful not to underestimate the emotional impact of hair loss for some patients. Patients may present with focal patches of hair loss or more diffuse hair loss, which may include predominant hair thinning or increased hair shedding. Focal hair loss can be further broken down into scarring and nonscarring. Scarring alopecia is best evaluated by a dermatologist. The cause of focal hair loss may be diagnosed by the appearance of the patch and examination for fungal agents. A scalp biopsy may be necessary if the cause of hair loss is unclear. Alopecia areata presents with smooth hairless patches, which have a high spontaneous rate of resolution. Tinea capitis causes patches of alopecia that may be erythematous and scaly. Male and female pattern hair losses have recognizable patterns and can be treated with topical minoxidil, and also with finasteride in men. Sudden loss of hair is usually telogen effluvium, but can also be diffuse alopecia areata. In telogen effluvium, once the precipitating cause is removed, the hair will regrow.  (+info)

Prevalence of tinea pedis, tinea unguium of toenails and tinea capitis in school children from Barcelona. (22/37)

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The prevalence of infections with Trichophyton tonsurans in schoolchildren: the CAPITIS study. (23/37)

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Inflammatory tinea capitis: non-healing plaque on the occiput of a 4-year-old child. (24/37)

INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory tinea capitis is an uncommon condition in Singapore. In this case report we present a patient whom we managed for this condition. CLINICAL PICTURE: A 4-year-old girl presented to us with multiple pustules over the occipital scalp for 6 weeks, associated with painful cervical lymphadenopathy. Her condition did not respond to topical and oral antibiotics. TREATMENT: The patient was diagnosed with kerion (inflammatory tinea capitis) and fungal culture of plucked hairs from the kerion grew Microsporum species of dermatophyte. She was treated with a course of oral griseofulvin and topical selenium sulfide shampoo. She was advised to bring her pet cats to the veterinarian for screening, as well as not to share combs with her other siblings. OUTCOME: Her condition improved with the antifungal therapy, and there was no residual alopecia. CONCLUSION: Physicians should consider tinea capitis when they encounter a patient with scalp folliculitis or scarring alopecia in the appropriate clinical context.  (+info)