A case report of tinea capitis in infant in first year of life

Abstract

Background Tinea capitis is a cutaneous fungal infection common among 3 to 7 year old children but it is rare in the first year of life. Case presentation We present a case of a 12-month-old infant with erythematous scalp lesions combined with hair loss. He was suspected of dermatophytosis and mycological analysis of all suspected lesions was performed. Clinical features and culture results confirmed tinea capitis caused by Microsporum canis. The infant patient was treated with griseofulvin for 2 months. However, 15 days later at the end of treatment he presented with a single vesicle positive for M. canis. Griseofulvin therapy continued for another month. After 3 months of follow-up, no recurrence was observed. Conclusions In infant, sometimes tinea capitis is misdiagnosed and underreported because it is similar to other scalp pathologies. Therefore, if erythematous scalp lesions are present, they must be examined from a mycological point of view to inform the differential diagnosis. Once diagnosed, treatment of tinea capitis can pose a dilemma because different factors may influence the choice between equally effective therapies (i.e. safety, age, formulation, cost). This case report suggests that it is important to establish an accurate diagnosis and treatment for this dermatophytosis to avoid recurrences or therapeutic failures, especially in infants. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12887-019-1433-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

High Trichophyton violaceum-Induced Tinea Capitis with Isolation of Many Non-Dermatophyte Molds in Scalp Scrapings in Patients Referred to a Dermatology Clinic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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Role of trichoscopy in the management of tinea capitis in two infants: A case report

“…It rarely affects infants and only a few case reports have been published. [ 1 6 7 8 9 ] The worldwide estimated prevalence of tinea capitis is 7.1–47.5% and that of India is 0.5–10%. [ 2 ]…”

High‐dose oral terbinafine in the treatment of pediatric tinea capitis under 2 years old

“…Tinea capitis is a common dermatophytosis of the hair follicles and scalp, mainly occurring in children between 3 and 7 years old 1 . Zoophilic and anthropophilic dermatophytes are the most common pathogens.…”

“…Tinea capitis is a common dermatophytosis of the hair follicles and scalp, mainly occurring in children between 3 and 7 years old. 1 Zoophilic and anthropophilic dermatophytes are the most common pathogens. The predominant species varies conforming to the potential reservoirs in environment and the geographic region.…”