[Sycosis of the beard (tinea barbae). Analysis of 42 cases]

42 patients suffering from dermatophytic fungus infection involving the bearded area, face and neck (tinea barbae) were seen in the Clinic between 1970 and 1977. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by microscopic examination (KOH) of skin and hair scrapings in all the patients. The material obtained from 39 patients and inoculated gave a positive culture; in were isolated and following fungi: T rubrum-18, T. mentagrophytes-16, T. megninii-1, T. violaceum-2, M. canis-2. From the clinical point of veiw it was possible to classify the patients in 3 main types: --Superficial type-11 patients. --Kerion-10 patients (T. mentagrophytes-9, M. canis-1). --Nodular type-deep seated nodules, without discharging, very slow evolution - 21 patients (T. mentagrophytes-4, T. rubrum-13, T. megninii-1, T. violaceum-1). It was obtained material for histology in 13 patients: 3 suffering from kerion and 10 with the nodular clinical type. The histology of the Kerion type showed a marked inflammatory reaction consisting largely of neutrophils surrounding the hair follicles. Only in one examination, out of the 3 patients studied with Kerion, showed fungi, on PAS. The 10 patients suffering from the nodular type of infection who were studied histologically showed a more or less uniform picture, which consisted in a more deep seated infiltration specially consisting of lymphocytes and plasmocytes, on the derme but not so perifollicular as in Kerion and, in 2 cases, there was a tendency to form a tuberculoid structure. The PAS was positive in 6 patients. The fungi were always intrafollicular. All the patients were treated with griseofulvin 1 gr. per day. All of them healed after a period of 4-8 weeks of treatment.