The survey of tinea capitis and scalp dermatophyte carriage in nursing home residents

Abstract

Tinea capitis is a contagious dermatophyte infection of scalp and associated hairs. On the other hand, asymptomatic carriage is a status of positive dermatophyte scalp culture, but without signs or symptoms of tinea capitis, and no evidence of hair shaft invasion confirmed by direct microscopy. Tinea capitis and asymptomatic carriage mostly occur in children, but adult females are becoming another population in recent decades. In this study, we focused on the prevalence and related fungi of tinea capitis and asymptomatic carriage in elderly by the shampoo brush method, as well as the source of transmission, in 10 nursing home residents. Two hundred and thirteen residents were screened, and 186 isolates were identified, of which only three were dermatophytes (1.4%). The scalp dermatophyte isolates were identified as Trichophyton rubrum by morphological characters and sequences comparisons in all three cases. After revisiting, these cases were proved to be asymptomatic carriers by negative microscopic and culture examination; however, two cases were found to have concurrent tinea pedis and onychomycosis, which were identified as T. rubrum and Trichophyton interdigitale. The source of the T. rubrum scalp carriage may come from tinea elsewhere on the body of the same subject or from other people in the same institute. Finding and treating the source of carriage, as well as treating scalp carriage patients according to the colony counts, may help prevent disease spreading.

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of tinea capitis in northern Taiwan during 2014‐2019: An unusual bimodal distribution of patients and comparison of paediatric and adult cases

“…Therefore, the gender ratio in paediatric cases may vary among countries. On the other hand, older women are widely accepted as an important susceptible population to adult TC because of menopause, 19 which is consistent with previous studies (Table 5). A decrease in oestrogen in blood may cause the involution of the sebaceous glands, and predispose postmenopausal women to develop TC 20 .…”

A systematic review of worldwide data on tinea capitis: analysis of the last 20 years

“…In China, TC was common in western areas, with T. violaceum being the most frequent pathogen reported (55.1%) 125–129 . Other pathogens were also isolated, including Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii, T. tonsurans and T. rubrum 130–132 . In Japan, the prevalence of TC was 40% and it was mainly associated with M. canis , T. tonsurans , T. violaceum and M. audouinii in older children and adults who participate in wrestling 133 …”

Asymptomatic Scalp Carriage among Household Contacts of Children Affected by Tinea Capitis: A Prospective Study in the Metropolitan Area of Brussels, Belgium

“…Data from literature regarding prevalence of ACs vary considerably, ranging from 0.3% to 97% [3, 5, 7, 8, 18, 24-26, 30, 31, 34, 36, 38]. Prevalence varies alongside with population’s features and geographic distribution, making it difficult to compare results of studies conducted in different countries and continents.…”