REVIEW OF ADULT TINEA CAPITIS CASES PRESENTING TO SIRIRAJ HOSPITAL, BANGKOK, THAILAND

Pimchaya Udomphan, Sumanas Bunyaratavej, Charussri Leeyaphan, Lalita Matthapan, Kamonpan Lertrujiwanit, and Penvadee Pattanaprichakul

Abstract

Tinea capitis (TC) is an uncommon infection in adults. In this study, we aimed to determine the epidemiology, pathogens, clinical presentation and labora-tory findings of adults with TC presenting to Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand during June 2007 – July 2016 in order to be used as information for diagnosis of TC adults in Thailand. The chart of each subject was retrospectively reviewed. A total of 46 subjects were included in the study, 39 females. The mean age of study subjects was 54 years old. The most common presenting symptom was pruritus (74%), followed by alopecia (33%) and scales (26%). Of the total of 46 subjects, 37% were also concurrently diagnosed as tinea corporis, followed by tinea faciei (20%) and tinea ungium of toenail (17%). The most common etiological organism identified was Trichophyton rubrum (37%), followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes (28%) and Microsporum canis (24%). A comparison of demographic and clinical factors between subjects with anthropophilic and zoophilic fungi as the cause of their TC revealed TC caused by zoophilic dermatophytes had significantly more pain (46%, p=0.018) and more pustules (83%, p=0.012). In conclusion, adult TC mostly presented with pruritus and scaly alopecia patches. One-third of TC patients had concomitant tinea corporis. Thus, whole skin examination should be performed in adult patients with TC.