High Trichophyton violaceum-Induced Tinea Capitis with Isolation of Many Non-Dermatophyte Molds in Scalp Scrapings in Patients Referred to a Dermatology Clinic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

This work aimed to determine the magnitude of tinea capitis, the diversity and species composition of fungi, and the predominant dermatophytes implicated in causing tinea capitis. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at a dermatology clinic. Scalp scrapings were collected and cultured, and dermatophyte and non-dermatophyte molds were identified. Results: Of 364 scalp scrapings, fungi were recovered from 301 (82.7%) clinical samples. About 60.7% of the samples were collected from women, while 39.3% were collected from male study subjects. The association between the magnitude of scalp ringworm and gender was not statistically significant (P = 0.105). Two hundred eighty study subjects were less than 15 years of age, of which 254 were culture positive. The association of tinea capitis and the age of patients was statistically significant (P = 0). Three hundred fortynine fungal isolates were isolated, of which 54.2% were dermatophytes, while 45.8% were non-dermatophyte molds. The occurrence of dermatophytes in their decreasing order was T. violaceum (138; 73%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (18; 9.5%), Trichophyton tonsurans (16; 8.5%), Trichophyton verrucosum (8; 4.5%), Microsporum audouinii (7; 3.7%), Trichophyton schoenleinii (1; 0.5%), and Trichophyton soudanense (1; 0.5%). Conclusion:A high prevalence rate of T. violaceum-induced tinea capitis was reported. The magnitude of scalp ringworm in adults was remarkably high. Therefore, conducting a nationwide epidemiological survey on tinea capitis regardless of age is suggested. The isolation of many non-dermatophyte molds in the current study may shade questions about the perception that tinea capitis is caused by dermatophytes only. Therefore, studies on their potential pathogenic role on skin and skin-related (nail and the scalp) infections appear to be an active field of research.

Investigating <em>Trichophyton violaceum</em> Metabolites and their Effects <em>In Vivo</em>

“…The current study shwoed that T. violaceum was the most common causative agent that appeared in 43 (82.7%) positive isolates. This result is consistent with (Bitew, 2022), who showed that T. violaceum is the dominant species among dermatophytes, but it conflicts with the result of Aktas and Yıgıt (Churukian, 2008), who mentioned that it represents only (3.0%). T. violaceum infects skin, hair, and nails causing tinea capitis which is of public health importance because of its transmissibility (Aktas, 2015).…”

“…

The research seeks to characterize the toxic secondary metabolites of Trichophyton violaceum and explore their impact in vivo, shedding light on potential implications for human health.This fungus is an anthropophilic dermatophyte that causes a variety of dermatophytosis, most notably tinea capitis, where it infects the hair by an endothrix mode of invasion (Morales, 2019) . Depending on the fungus' metabolic products, the infection's anatomical position, the host's immune system, the virulence of the infecting species, and the microenvironmental variables, tinea capitis can cause moderate to severe inflammation (Bitew, 2022). Transmission of tinea capitis is common between humans and animals.

…”