Tinea Capitis Due to Trichophyton Soudanense Mimicking Bacterial Folliculitis
March 2007
in “
Mycoses
”
TLDR A man's scalp infection, mistaken for bacterial, was actually a rare fungal infection treated successfully with antifungal medication.
The document described a rare instance of tinea capitis caused by Trichophyton soudanense in a 36-year-old Senegalese male, which was initially misidentified as bacterial folliculitis. The patient's symptoms included non-scarring alopecia, nodules, and pustules, and he did not respond to antibiotic treatment. A correct diagnosis was eventually made through direct microscopic examination and culture, leading to successful treatment with systemic itraconazole and topical imidazole. The case highlighted the challenges of diagnosing tinea capitis based on clinical signs alone, the importance of proper histological and microbiological analysis to prevent unnecessary antibiotic use, and the need to consider the patient's immune status. It also noted an increase in tinea capitis among adult males due to immigration and the role of asymptomatic carriers in spreading the infection.
