Abstract

ALDAMACABALLERO, Arnaldo B.; ; CORREA, Julio  and  MENDOZA, Gloria. Tinea capitis. Rev. bol. ped. [online]. 2004, vol.43, n.2, pp.116-120. ISSN 1024-0675.

The tinea capitis is a dermatophytosis produced by fungy of the gender Trichophyton or Mentagrophytes. It presents several clinical forms and it is almost exclusively of the children. Objetives: to know characteristics of the cases observed in the Hospital Nacional Departament of Dermatology in the periods: 1990-1992 and 1999-2001. Materials and methods: this is retrospective study, descriptive, observational. Percentage are determined and they are compared with other series. All the cases have mycologics studies. Results: it observed 54 cases, 19 are from the first period and 35 concerned to the second period. There is slight predominance of feminine sex and the average age of presentation is 5,6 years old. In the cases that could be determined the species of the fungus predominates the Trichophyton mentagrophytes (10 cases, main agent in the first period), the Trichophyton rubrum (9 cases, observed exclusively in the second period) and the Microsporum canis (8 cases). In the period 1999-2001, 7,5% of the first consultations is by dermatophytosis being 37% children and of these 50% is tinea of the head. Conclusions: the tinea capitis is the main dermatofitosis of the childhood in our service and shows a tendency the increase of the prevalence. The inflammatory forms (20% of the total) are increased and the Trichophyton rubrum etiologic agent is important.

Keywords : Tinea capitis-etiology; Trichophyton; Microsporum; Griseofulvin; administration & dosage.