Clinicomycological study of tinea capitis

Clinicomycological spectrum of 72 patients of tinea capitis attending dermatological out patient departments of Kalawati Saran Children and Sucheta Kriplani Hospitals, New Delhi from May 1992 to April 1994 is studied. Majority of the patients were children (94%). Males and females were equally involved. Most of them belonged to low socioeconomic group; lived in the crowded environment; had regular bathing habit; used mustard oil and shared combs. Family history of tinea capitis was available in 29% of the cases. Duration of disease varied from 20 days to 10 years. Large number (60%) of patients had multiple lesions. Commonest site involved was occiput. Non inflammatory type of lesions were observed in 68% of the cases. KOH examnination revealed endothrix and ectothrix spores in 56 and 7 patients respectively. Positivity of culture was observed in 47% of the cases and Trichophyton violaceum was the commonest species isolated.