A clinico-epidemiological study of tinea capitis in children attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Karimnagar

Abstract

Background: Tinea capitis is dermatophytic infection of scalp and associated hair. Incidence of the disease remains unknown. It commonly occurs in children between 3-14 yrs of age group. Etiological agents vary from time to time and place to place. Aim: To delineate the various patterns of Tinea capitis observed in Karimnagar district and to assess for any correlation between the clinical, microscopic and microbiologic findings in the patients seen. Also, to identify the common fungal species responsible for producing Tinea capitis. Material and Methods: Clinical morphology and KOH findings were studied in 65 patients who attended DVL OPD at Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical College, Bommakal, Karimnagar with the suspected diagnosis of Tinea capitis. Fungal culture was performed for all the cases. The epidemiological factors associated with the disease were also assessed. Results: Out of 65 children,36 (55.4%) belonged to 5-10yrs of age with a slight male predominance (1.4:1). Most of the children were living in crowded conditions 52(80%). Hair loss was the commonest symptom in 100% followed by itching in 41(62.9%) of cases. Greypatch variety was the commonest 24 (36.9%) followed by black dot 18(27.7%), kerion 12(18.5%) and agminate folliculitis 11(16.9%). KOH mount was positive in 78.4% and culture in 57.4% of cases. T.violaceum was the commonest 16(37.5%) species isolated followed by T.mentagrophyte 11(25.5%), T.tonsurans 8(18.6%), T.rubrum 6(13.9%) and M.gypseum was the least 2(4.6%). Conclusion: In the present sudy, clinical examination and microscopic findings along with epidemiological factors were considered which attributed that the most common group affectedis the lower socioeconomic population. Though the causative fungi was found to vary between different regions and time, T.violaceum was the most common organisum isolated in our study.