title: Letter: Tinea capitis in infants in their first 2 years of life: A 12-year study and a review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tinea capitis (TC) is a dermatophyte infection that occurs mainly in childhood; but it is uncommon in infants. The aim of this study was to review the clinical and mycological profile of TC in infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a retrospective study; we enrolled all the cases of infant TC over a period of 12 years (1999-2010).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-five infants (21 boys, 14 girls) with a mean age of 20.16 months were diagnosed with TC among a total number of 881 cases of TC (3.9%). Scalp scaling and alopecia were the most frequent clinical features. Microsporic tinea (21 cases) was the most frequent followed by Trichophytic tinea (9 cases) and inflammatory tinea (5 cases). Direct microscopy of hair was positive in 33 cases (94.2%). Culture positivity was found in 82.8 percent of infants (29 cases). Four species of dermatophytes were isolated; Microsporum canis in 18 cases (62%) followed by Trichophyton violaceum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Trichophyton verrucosum. Twenty-nine infants were treated successfully with griseofulvin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TC is rare in infants. The diagnosis of TC should be considered if scaling and/or alopecia are present and should be confirmed by mycology testing prior to initiation of treatment.
authors.forename: Inès
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zaraa
authors.forename: Abdelmohti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hawilo
authors.forename: Sondes
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trojjet
authors.forename: Dalenda
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: El Euch
authors.forename: Mourad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mokni
authors.forename: Amel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Osman
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003883:Arthrodermataceae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006118:Griseofulvin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014006:Tinea Capitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D006118:Griseofulvin