Tinea capitis mimicking dissecting cellulitis: a distinct variant

Tinea capitis mimicking cicatricial alopecia: What host and dermatophyte factors lead to this unusual clinical presentation?

“…5,8,11,23 The variation in clinical presentation can pose a diagnostic challenge for practitioners. The so-called seborrheic type of TC presents with mild persistent scaling of the scalp, with or without erythema or pruritus.…”

“…On rare occasions, TC can mimic a primary cicatricial alopecia on initial presentation. [22][23][24][25] We present 3 cases of TC masquerading as cicatricial alopecia and discuss the possible combination of host immune and fungal antigenic factors that may have influenced the course of disease and/or clinical presentation.…”

Inflammatory tinea capitis mimicking dissecting cellulitis in a postpubertal male: a case report and review of the literature

“…To date, we are aware of only three reported similar cases of inflammatory tinea capitis presenting in this manner. 7,8 This case further adds to the literature regarding the condition, illustrating the importance of early diagnosis and prompt treatment to prevent the longterm complications of scarring alopecia.…”

“…Very rarely, T. tonsurans can lead to an inflammatory tinea capitis with unpredictable signs and bizarre presentations, often leading to misdiagnoses of impetigo, folliculitis, recurrent furunculosis, pyoderma, folliculitis decalvans, tufted hair folliculitis or dissecting cellulitus of the scalp. 1,3,[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] The acute, pustular and suppurative appearance of the scalp is also known as kerion. 4 Diagnosis of tinea capitis due to T. tonsurans is sometimes complicated because its clinical presentation is often on a spectrum of severity and infected hairs do not fluoresce yellow-green under Wood's light examination.…”

Mykologisches Labor

“…Eines differenzialdiagnostisch geschulten Blicks bedürfen auch ungewöhnliche Formen von an sich geläu-figen Dermatophytosen, wie sie z. B. bei Patienten beschrieben wurden, die eine als seborrhoische Dermatitis verkannte Tinea faciei oder eine der Perifolliculitis capitis sehr stark ähnelnde Tinea capitits aufwiesen [7,22] Eine Reihe zusätzlicher geeigneter Nährmedien steht zur orientierenden Differenzierung bei Hautmykosen zur Verfü-gung [9]. Bei klinischen Verdachtsfällen auf Tinea barbae sollte zusätzlich ein Medium bei 37°C bebrütet werden, da T. verrucosum als häufigster Erreger der Tinea barbae ein deutlich schnelleres Wachstum bei dieser Inkubationstemperatur aufweist [8].…”