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Pustular tinea pedis.

J V Hirschmann¹, G J Raugi

¹Puget Sound Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seatle, WA 98108, USA.

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

|December 22, 1999

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Pustules on the feet are rare in tinea pedis and often indicate bacterial infection. This case shows fungal hyphae in pustules, confirming tinea pedis caused by Trichophyton rubrum.

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Area of Science:

Dermatology
Mycology
Infectious Diseases

Background:

Tinea pedis, a common fungal infection of the foot, typically presents with scaling, redness, and itching.
Pustular variants of tinea pedis are uncommon and can be misdiagnosed as bacterial infections.
Distinguishing fungal from bacterial causes is crucial for appropriate treatment.

Observation:

A patient presented with extensive pustules on the feet.
Microscopic examination of pustule contents revealed fungal hyphae via Gram stain and potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation.
Bacterial cultures from the pustules yielded no growth.

Findings:

The presence of hyphae in pustules confirmed a fungal etiology, specifically tinea pedis.
The causative agent was identified as Trichophyton rubrum through fungal culture.

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The absence of bacterial growth ruled out a concurrent bacterial infection.

Implications:

This case highlights that pustules in tinea pedis can be caused by the fungus itself, not solely by secondary bacterial infection.
Accurate diagnosis through direct microscopy (KOH/Gram stain) is vital for pustular tinea pedis.
Antifungal therapy is indicated for pustular tinea pedis, even with pustule formation.