Clinical Mycological and Immunological Study of Tinea Capitis

Clinically diagnosed and mycologically proved 54 cases of tinea capitis detected at skin out -patient Department of University Ropital, Banaras Hindu University. Varanasi, during May, 1979 to April 1980 were studied. Tinea capitis was an affliction of prepubertal male children of villages. 'Black dot' type was the commonest variety followed by 'kerion' type which was exclusively seen among rural children. Scaly gray patch type was confined to city children. No definite source of infection for 'black dot' type was detected. The source of infection in all the inflammatory type of tinea capitis was traceable. The lesions were always multiple. T. violaceum was the commonest etilogical fungus. It mostly caused 'black dot' type but inflammatory lesions were also due to them. T. mentagraphyte caused 'kerion' type only. T. tonsurans and T. verrucosum also contributed to inflammatory tinea capitis. T. rubrum caused only non- inflammatory type of lesions. M. nanum was isolated in 2 cases of non-infl.qmmatory tinea capitis. No defect in ceu-mediate,d immunity was detected in'black dot' lesions as well as in scaly type of tinea capitis by phytohaemoagglutinin intra-dermal tests.