A clinico‐etiologic correlation in tinea capitis

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Abstract
Background Tinea capitis is a dermatophytosis with diverse clinical manifestations. The causative fungi of tinea capitis vary with geography and time. This study aimed to identify the etiologic agents and to determine the clinico‐etiologic correlation of tinea capitis in Lahore, Pakistan. Methods From clinically suspected cases of tinea capitis, skin scrapings and hair samples were taken and subjected to microscopy and culture. Results Of 100 evaluable patients, 95% were children below 12 years of age with almost equal sex incidence. Noninflammatory and inflammatory lesions were seen in 56.4% and 43.6%, respectively. Trichophyton violaceum was the most common etiologic agent, responsible for 82% of infection, followed by T. tonsurans (8%), T. verrucosum (5%), and T. mentagrophytes (5%). Conclusions T. violaceum is the predominant pathogen causing tinea capitis in this part of the world, and gives rise to a varied clinical picture.

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