[Tinea capitis in Creteil. Trends over ten years]

Abstract

Introduction: We analyzed tinea capitis data in a Paris suburban area over a 11-year period from (1985-1995) to evaluate epidemiology trends.

Patients and methods: The following data were collected for patients seen at the Créteil myco-dermatology clinic with cultures positive for tinea capitis: sex, age, ethnic origin, fungal culture.

Results: Tinea capitis was observed in 336 cases (56 p. 100 females). Eight percent of the patients were under the age of 10 years and 11 p. 100 over 20 years. Trichophyton soudanense was isolated in 45 p. 100 of the patients. Anthropophilic agents rose over the 10 year period while the number of zoophilic agents remained stable. Specific dermatophytes appeared to predominate in populations of different ethnic origin. There was a two-fold increase in the number of tinea capitis cases in the 1990-1995 period compared with the five previous years.

Discussion: The percentage of adults with tinea capitis (11 p. 100) is higher than the 5 p. 100 reported in the literature. The rise in the number of anthropophilic tinea capitis cases resulted from an increase in T. soudanense (originating in Africa), probably related to the increasing immigrant population. This agent was identified in 95 p. 100 of the patients of African origin. Differing lifestyles and transmission between school children makes it quite difficult to interpret the correlation between ethnic origin and specific dermatophytes.