Tinea corporis purpurica and onychomycosis caused by Trichophyton violaceum

Abstract

We report two cases of tinea corporis purpurica of the legs, presumably caused by self-inoculation of the mycete from the toenails, in two elderly women (80 and 78 years). Trichophyton violaceum was isolated from the skin and nails. Histological examination of a biopsy specimen from the leg lesions confirmed the diagnosis. The source of infection was an Ethiopian carer who had tinea capitis in the first case, and was undiagnosed in the second patient. Cases of purpuric variants of tinea corporis are rare and this is the first report of probable self-inoculation of T. violaceum from onychomycosis.

Thirty‐six cases of epidemic infections due to Trichophyton violaceum in Siena, Italy

“…Vesicular and vesicobullous patches similar to eczema and pyoderma have been described . Tinea corporis may occasionally be purpuric …”

“…12 Tinea corporis may occasionally be purpuric. 13 Dermatological examination of children from areas where anthropophilous dermatophytes are endemic could therefore help prevent epidemics of T. violaceum infection. It is also true that paediatricians and general practitioners may not always recognise dermatophytoses, as in our cases.…”