Tinea versicolor and visceral leishmaniasis.
BACKGROUND
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic in several areas in the Sudan. The disease is associated with depressed cellular immunity. Tinea versicolor is a normal commensal of the skin which can become pathogenic particularly in patients with depressed cell-mediated immunity. Patients with VL have a high prevalence of tinea versicolor.


METHODS
One hundred and thirty patients with parasitologic confirmation of VL were screened for tinea versicolor infection. In the suspected cases the diagnosis was made by demonstrating the fungal hyphae and spores in skin scrapings. All patients were treated with sodium stibogluconate.


RESULTS
Of the 130 patients with VL, 10.8% were found to have severe tinea versicolor. The fungal infection developed or became worse with the start of VL. After successful treatment of VL, the tinea lesions disappeared completely or decreased in severity.


CONCLUSIONS
Depressed cell-mediated immunity that is a feature of VL is the probable underlying cause for fungal infection. Tinea infection during the course of VL is to be distinguished from lesions of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis.
Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Sudan.
F A
FA
Hashim
A M
AM
Elhassan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000967:Antimony Sodium Gluconate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000628:therapy; D012074:Remission Induction; D013397:Sudan; D013997:Time Factors; D014010:Tinea Versicolor / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy
D000967:Antimony Sodium Gluconate