Dermatophytoses in children: study of 137 cases

• Main Authors: Nurimar C. FERNANDES, Tiyomi AKITI, Maria da Glória C. BARREIROS
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 2001
• Subjects: Tinea; Dermatophytosis; Child; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/0b7a574f47fd46edaa4369f5f8c43dae

Dermatophytoses are common fungal infections caused by dermatophytes but there are few data about this condition in the childhood. 137 children below the age of 12 and clinically diagnosed as tineas were investigated prospectively at Instituto de Puericultura e Pediatria, Rio de Janeiro, from 1994 to 1999. Hair, skin/nails scraping and pus swabs were collected from lesions and processed for fungus. Male children from 2 to 12 years were mostly affected; tinea capitis (78 cases) mainly caused by Microsporum canis (46 cases) was the most common clinical form. Tinea corporis (43 cases) mainly caused by Trichophyton rubrum (17 cases) accounted for the second most frequent clinical form. Tinea cruris (10 cases) with Trichophyton rubrum (5 cases) as the most common etiologic agent accounted for the third most frequent clinical form. Tinea pedis and tinea unguium were much less frequent (3 cases each). Trichophyton rubrum was the most common etiologic agent isolated in these cases (3 cases).