Cases of tinea capitis as encountered in a private practice laboratory from Jordan

Tinea capitis is of health concern in many Middle Eastern countries. This study reports on the etiologic agents as well as certain demographic factors of tinea capitis cases encountered in a medical laboratory. Over a period of 6 years, a total of 39 patients were referred to the Medical Diagnostic Laboratories for the diagnosis of tinea capitis. Hair and scalp scales were collected and examined microscopically using 10% KOH wet mount and by culture using Sabouraud dextrose agar. Twenty-five (64.1%) cases were positive for fungal elements by direct microscopy, whereas 30 cases (76.9%) were positive for dermatophytes by culture. Age of patients with positive cultures varied from 4 to 18 years, with the majority of cases (86.7%) occurring in children below 14 years. The isolated etiologic agents were T. violaceum (14), M. canis (eight), T. verrucosum (three), T. tonsurans (three) and T. schoenleinii (two). However, this communication clearly demonstrates that mycological work in medical laboratories in Jordan is very limited; it provides an idea about certain epidemiological aspects of tinea capitis in the country. It also emphasizes the need for prospective investigations at a national level to determine the true incidence of tinea capitis.