Clonal outbreak ofTrichophyton tonsuranstinea capitis gladiatorum among wrestlers in Adana, Turkey

Abstract

Tinea capitis gladiatorum and tinea corporis gladiatorum caused by the anthropophilic dermatophyte Trichophyton tonsurans are well-known clinical entities in individuals involved in combat sports, e.g., wrestlers and judo practitioners. We present an outbreak of Trichophyton tonsurans tinea capitis gladiatorum among wrestlers at a boarding school in Adana, Turkey. Fourteen of the 29 wrestlers examined (48.3%) harbored the pathogen, including eight asymptomatic scalp carriers, five with tinea capitis superficialis, and one asymptomatic trunk carrier. Dermatophytes were isolated from samples of the neck (1), nape (1), trunk (3) and inguinal area (2) in four of the five tinea capitis cases. A total of five inanimate objects, i.e., two wrestling mats, two pillowcases, and one sheet were also found to be positive for T. tonsurans. Mixed-marker strain typing examining 24 sequence variations in 12 gene loci confirmed that the outbreak was caused by a single strain of T. tonsurans.

Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Competitive Sports, 2005–2010

“…Of these, 19 were solitary reports of an outbreak in a single sport [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] ; 3 (including 2 from Juntendo University 24,25 ) addressed a tinea epidemic due to Tricophyton tonsurans among combat-sport (mainly judo, although one also included wrestlers 26 ) competitors in Japan [24][25][26] ; 1 reported on a single measles virus outbreak involving competitors in 2 sports;hairsp 27 ; and 1 discussed the importance of sentinel surveillance sites in high school athletic departments to monitor outbreaks of CA-MRSA across a variety of sports. 28 When we excluded this latter study from analysis (because its main focus was not a specific outbreak) and counted the 3 articles on the tinea outbreak among combatsport competitors in Japan as a single outbreak, a total of 21 outbreaks or clusters were reported in the time period.…”

Tinea Capitis and Tinea Corporis with a Severe Inflammatory Response due to Trichophyton tonsurans

“…The first skin symptoms appeared 2 years after quitting sport. In the literature some wrestlers have been described as asymptomatic carriers (9), in addition to T. tonsurans being cultured from wrestling mats (9,26). Epidemic outbreaks of T tonsurans infections among members of combat sports clubs have been reported (7-9) as well as in other populations, such as paediatric healthcare workers (27).…”

Epidemiology of dermatophytosis in junior combat and non‐combat sports participants

“…The participants from whom dermatophytes were recovered, but who lacked clinical symptoms, were classified as asymptomatic carriers. We recorded the clinical diagnoses, mycological results and detailed history of each patient 10,19 . This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Clinical Research at Mersin University.…”

“…Therefore, clinicians and mycologists have focused on the spread of T . tonsurans , particularly in sports participants worldwide 2–12 and in primary school children in endemic foci, such as the USA 13,14 . Typically, the prevalence of asymptomatic carriers related to T .…”