Trichoscopy of Tinea Capitis Infection in Children by Microsporum sp.: A Case Series

Trichoscopy of Tinea Capitis by Microsporum sp.

Abstract

Introduction: Tinea capitis (TC) is a common childhood infection with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Trichoscopy could enable rapid diagnosis, unlike mycological culture which albeit a golden standard, requires weeks to complete. Case reports: The main trichoscopic findings were: morse hair, zigzag hair, broken hair, perifollicular scaling, and diffuse scaling. Subsequent mycological cultures confirmed Microsporum sp. growth. The primary therapy was oral griseofulvin and ketoconazole 2% shampoo for a minimum of six weeks. Discussion: Based on our trichoscopic images, we suspected Microsporum sp. infections, which was confirmed by diagnostic examinations and supported by other literatures. This means trichoscopy has a potential role in identifying the causative fungus of TC, improving diagnostic accuracy, and allowing a quick, targeted therapy. We propose that the presence of morse hair and zigzag hair as well as the absence of corkscrew hair are valuable predictive trichoscopic findings in Microsporum sp. mediated TC infections. Key-words: Trichoscopy; Tinea Capitis; Microsporum; Case Series