title: Tinea capitis in Cleveland: survey of elementary school students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tinea capitis, a fungal infection of the scalp, is of increasing public health importance, and Trichophyton tonsurans has become the primary causative agent in North America.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of dermatophyte-positive scalp cultures among elementary schoolchildren in Cleveland, Ohio, describe predisposing factors, and measure the antifungal susceptibility of isolates collected.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 937 children from 8 Cleveland elementary schools were cultured for the presence of dermatophytes; 122 children (13%), all of whom were African American, had dermatophyte-positive cultures of the scalp. Sixty percent of cases were asymptomatic, indicating a carrier state. Race, scaling, and the use of anti-dandruff shampoo were associated with increased likelihood of infection. T tonsurans was the only organism isolated (except 1 Microsporum canis isolate). All isolates were susceptible to fluconazole, griseofulvin, itraconazole, and terbinafine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  T tonsurans was the predominant dermatophyte isolated. Further multicenter studies are needed to confirm the predominance of dermatophyte-positive scalp cultures among African American children and to determine modifiable and preventable risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Mycology and Mycology Reference Laboratory, Department of Dermatology, University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106-5028, USA. MAG3@PO.CWRU.edu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghannoum
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Isham
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hajjeh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cano
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Al-Hasawi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yearick
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jessup
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elewski
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D014006:Tinea Capitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*