Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 28, 2026
P50 Sensory Gating in Infants
Published on: December 26, 2013
A case report of tinea capitis in infant in first year of life
Narcisa Mandras1, Janira Roana1, Ornella Cervetti2
1Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Torino, 10126, Italy.
Insights
Tinea capitis, a fungal infection, is rarely seen in infants but can be misdiagnosed. This case highlights accurate diagnosis and treatment in an infant to prevent recurrence.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Mycology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Tinea capitis is a common fungal infection in children aged 3-7 years, but infrequently occurs in infants.
- Infantile tinea capitis is often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to its resemblance to other pediatric scalp conditions.
Observation:
- A 12-month-old infant presented with erythematous scalp lesions and hair loss, initially suspected as dermatophytosis.
- Mycological analysis confirmed tinea capitis caused by Microsporum canis.
- The infant experienced a recurrence of M. canis post-initial griseofulvin treatment, necessitating extended therapy.
Findings:
- Accurate mycological examination is crucial for diagnosing tinea capitis in infants presenting with scalp lesions.
- Treatment with griseofulvin, extended for an additional month after initial recurrence, successfully resolved the infection.
- No recurrence was observed during the 3-month follow-up period after completing the extended griseofulvin course.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering tinea capitis in the differential diagnosis of infantile scalp pathologies.
- Prompt and accurate diagnosis, followed by appropriate and potentially extended treatment, is vital to prevent therapeutic failures and recurrences in infants.
- Effective management strategies for infantile tinea capitis are essential, considering factors like safety, age, and cost of different therapeutic options.
Background:
Tinea capitis is a cutaneous fungal infection common among 3 to 7 year old children but it is rare in the first year of life.
Case Presentation:
We present a case of a 12-month-old infant with erythematous scalp lesions combined with hair loss. He was suspected of dermatophytosis and mycological analysis of all suspected lesions was performed. Clinical features and culture results confirmed tinea capitis caused by Microsporum canis. The infant patient was treated with griseofulvin for 2 months. However, 15 days later at the end of treatment he presented with a single vesicle positive for M. canis. Griseofulvin therapy continued for another month. After 3 months of follow-up, no recurrence was observed.
Conclusions:
In infant, sometimes tinea capitis is misdiagnosed and underreported because it is similar to other scalp pathologies. Therefore, if erythematous scalp lesions are present, they must be examined from a mycological point of view to inform the differential diagnosis. Once diagnosed, treatment of tinea capitis can pose a dilemma because different factors may influence the choice between equally effective therapies (i.e. safety, age, formulation, cost). This case report suggests that it is important to establish an accurate diagnosis and treatment for this dermatophytosis to avoid recurrences or therapeutic failures, especially in infants.
Related Concept Videos
02:42Half-life of a Reaction
01:23Characteristics of Life
02:39The Angiosperm Life Cycle
02:40The Tree of Life - Bacteria, Archaea, Eukaryotes
01:23Functions of Life
Metabolism
The basic function of an organism is to consume energy and molecules in foods, convert some of it into fuel for movement, sustain body functions, and build and maintain body structures. There are two types of reactions that accomplish this: anabolism and catabolism.
Anabolism is the process whereby...
01:29Life Histories