Premium
The Rise and Fall of Fluorescent Tinea Capitis
Author(s) -
Prevost Elena
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
pediatric dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.542
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1525-1470
pISSN - 0736-8046
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1470.1983.tb01103.x
Subject(s) - tinea capitis , trichophyton tonsurans , medicine , dermatology , scalp , dandruff , epidemiology , trichophyton , pathology , antifungal , shampoo
The epidemiology of tinea capitis has had a remarkable change in the past 20 years. It is important for physicians to realize that most tinea capitis in the United States is caused by Trichophyton tonsurans and that these lesions cannot be diagnosed by the Wood's lamp. Trichophyton tonsurans tinea capitis is frequently misdiagnosed because the lesions mimic such common scalp conditions as dandruff and seborrhea. Further, this organism can cause chronic tinea capitis in women that may become an infectious reservoir for other family members. A negative potassium hydroxide preparation will not rule out infection with T tonsurans , and cultures are necessary. Scalp lesions in children should be considered tinea capitis until culturally proved otherwise.