Tinea capitis in the military hospital Mohammed V (Morocco)

Objective: Tinea capitis are frequent in the countries in the process of development, particularly in Morocco. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological, clinical and mycological profile of tinea capitis observed at the military hospital Mohammed the fifth, Rabat. Patients and methods: A prospective study (January 2002 - September 2008) was realized. The patients whose diagnosis was clinically suspected in dermatology and for which a mycological examination (direct examination and culture) was requested were included. Results: Two hundred and eighty-two patients were included. One hundred and sixty-two cases of tinea capitis were diagnosed. The average age of patients was 9,8 years. The sex-ratio M/F was 1,89. Ten patients were adults (6.17%). Trichophytic tinea was the most frequent (63,58%, 103 cases) followed by microsporic tinea (33,33%, 54 cases) and inflammatory tinea (2,46%, four cases).Only one case of favus was diagnosed (0,61%). Other family members were infected by tinea in 26,5% of cases (43 patients) and in contact with animals in 56,7% of cases (92 patients). Our patients had tinea corporis associated in 15,43% of cases (25 patients) and onychomycosis associated in 3,70% of cases (six patients). Conclusion: In our study, trichophytic tinea was the most frequent. Favus cases were exceptional . Trichophyton violaceum (T. . violaceum) and . Microsporum canis (M. . canis) are the main dermatophytes isolated. The zoophilic dermatophytes become more frequent. This change could be related to a modification in the behaviour of people who adopt more pets. © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS.