Infectious Diseases Search

Infectious Diseases

Infectious Diseases

Home News Diseases Conferences Special Reports Multimedia

TINEA CAPITIS

Tinea capitis is a contagious dermatophytosis affecting the hair shaft and follicles of the scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes.
It is most common in the crowded areas as infection originates from contact with a pet or an infected person and asymptomatic carriage persists indefinitely.
It primarily affects children 3-7 years of age.
The causative agents are the genus Trichophyton and Microsporum.
Cardinal clinical feature is the combination of inflammation with hair breakage and loss.

Tinea%20capitis Diagnosis

Diagnosis

All specimens obtained (scalp scrapings, hair follicles) should undergo microscopy & culture, w/ causative organism identified

Laboratory Tests

Microscopy

Provides the most rapid means of diagnosis but may not always be positive in affected patients
Scalp scales &/or hair are mounted in 10-30% potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution, gently heated & viewed under light or flourescence microscope
Positive results reveal hairs and scales invaded by spores &/or hyphae

Causative Agents

Large-spored endothrix pattern chains of large spores within hair (Trichophyton tonsurans, T violaceum)
Large-spored ectothrix (T verrucosum, T mentagrophytes)
Small-spored ectothrix randomly arranged in masses inside & on the surface of the hair shaft (Microsporum canis, M audouinii)

Dermoscopy (Trichoscopy)

A noninvasive in vivo imaging technique that may aid in the diagnosis of Tinea capitis, especially in patients w/ black dot pattern

Culture

Allows accurate identification of organism but results may take up to 4 weeks
Use of Sabouraud agar w/ 1 or more plates w/ cycloheximide is recommended
Results may be positive even when microscopy is negative
Necessary in hair fungal infections to identify the source of infection & verify the infecting species

Wood’s Light Exam

Useful for certain ectothrix infections (eg M canis, M audouini, M rifalieri)
If present, will cause hair to fluoresce bright green
T tonsurans which causes most Tinea capitis does not fluoresce

Asia's trusted medical magazine for healthcare professionals. Get your MIMS Infectious Diseases - Malaysia digital copy today!

High morbidity and mortality among COVID-19 patients with haematologic malignancies

Natalia Reoutova, 2 days ago

Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who have haematologic malignancies have a 28 percent mortality rate, according to data collected from 250 patients by the ASH Research Collaborative COVID-19 presented at the 62^nd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2020).

Evidence-based intervention fails to reduce haemodialysis catheter-related bloodstream infection

Roshini Claire Anthony, 01 Dec 2020

An evidence-based, multifaceted intervention aimed at reducing haemodialysis catheter-related bloodstream infections (HD-CRBSIs) failed to improve this outcome, results of the REDUCCTION* trial showed.

Adherence to physical distancing measures depends on social closeness

Tristan Manalac, 2 days ago

People are more likely to follow social distancing measures for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic when they thought that their friends and family did the same, too, according to a new study.

Cancer patients on chemotherapy at high risk of severe COVID-19 complications

Stephen Padilla, 04 Dec 2020

A retrospective study in a single centre in the Philippines has found that cancer patients with recent anticancer treatment, particularly chemotherapy, and who tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have higher rates of severe complications. In addition, these patients tend to acquire infection in the hospital, which then leads to an increased risk of severe illness.