Tinea Capitis in Adult Women Masquerading as Bacterial Pyoderma
August 2003
in “
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
”
TLDR Tinea capitis can be misdiagnosed as bacterial infection in adult women but is treatable with antifungal medication.
The document reported three cases of adult women with tinea capitis caused by Trichophyton tonsurans, initially misdiagnosed as bacterial pyoderma. Fungal cultures confirmed tinea capitis, and all patients were successfully treated with oral antifungal agents, resulting in hair regrowth and symptom resolution. The study emphasized the need to consider tinea capitis in adults with alopecia and pyoderma-like symptoms and suggested a possible link between peripheral eosinophilia and inflammatory tinea capitis. Accurate diagnosis relied on biopsy specimens and fungal cultures.