Tinea capitis in adults in southern Taiwan.
We report the clinicomycologic study of 27 culture-proven cases of tinea capitis from southern Taiwan during the years 1988 to 1990. The series is notable for its predominance of adults (63%), of women (89%), and of Trichophyton violaceum infection (74%). The age distribution was clearly bimodal; the median age was 6 years for children and 56 years for adults (older than 18 years). Whether or not these findings represent a new trend of tinea capitis in southern Taiwan remains to be determined. Clinically, our cases of black-dot ringworm caused by T. violaceum often presented with subtle changes of scaling, hair loss, and black dots. The keys to the correct diagnosis are (1) a high clinical index of suspicion with careful inspection of the scalp for the presence of black dots, and (2) microscopic examination and culturing of the black dots or plucked hairs.
Department of Dermatology, National Cheng-Kung University Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan, China.
J Y
JY
Lee
M L
ML
Hsu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006118:Griseofulvin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007654:Ketoconazole / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014006:Tinea Capitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D014249:Trichophyton / Q000302:isolation & purification
D006118:Griseofulvin; D007654:Ketoconazole