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A facial swelling with multiple discharging sinuses: a diagnostic conundrum
Joe Hennessy1, Atul Kusanale, Clive Pratt
1Western Sussex NHS Trust, Chichester, West Sussex, UK. joehenno@hotmail.com
Background:
Many disease processes can present with facial swelling and multiple discharging sinuses. A differential diagnosis would include actinomycosis, tuberculosis and osteomyelitis, but tinea barbae is a relatively uncommon presentation.
Case Report:
The following case report describes a 48-year-old jockey who was diagnosed with tinea barbae. It chronicles the investigations that were performed to determine the offending pathogen and the difficulty in achieving a diagnosis.
Discussion:
The investigations and the pathophysiology of dermatophytic infections and their management in a maxillofacial/oral medicine environment are discussed.
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