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Dermatology and Therapy Feb 2020An increased incidence of tinea capitis has been observed over the last few decades. Trichoscopy is a non-invasive, in-office method helpful in establishing the correct... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
An increased incidence of tinea capitis has been observed over the last few decades. Trichoscopy is a non-invasive, in-office method helpful in establishing the correct diagnosis in patients with hair loss and inflammatory hair disorders. The objective was to review and analyze current data on the trichoscopy of tinea capitis.
METHODS
A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the PubMed, EBSCO and Scopus databases. The search terms included 'tinea capitis' combined with 'trichoscopy', 'dermatoscopy', 'dermoscopy', 'videodermatoscopy' or 'videodermoscopy'.
RESULTS
Of 326 articles, 37 were considered eligible for the quantitative analysis. The most characteristic (with a high predictive value) trichoscopic findings of tinea capitis included comma hairs (51%), corkscrew hairs (32%), Morse code-like hairs (22%), zigzag hairs (21%), bent hairs (27%), block hairs (10%) and i-hairs (10%). Other common, but not characteristic, trichoscopic features were broken hairs (57%), black dots (34%), perifollicular scaling (59%) and diffuse scaling (89%). Morse code-like hairs, zigzag hairs, bent hairs and diffuse scaling were only observed in Microsporum tinea capitis (8/29, 28%; 6/29, 21%; 4/29, 14% and 4/29, 14%, respectively). In Trichophyton tinea capitis, corkscrew hairs were more commonly detected compared to Microsporum tinea capitis (21/38, 55% vs 3/29, 10%).
CONCLUSION
The presence of characteristic trichoscopic features of tinea capitis is sufficient to establish the initial diagnosis and introduce treatment before culture results are available. Trichoscopy may be useful in distinguishing between Microsporum and Trichophyton tinea capitis.
PubMed: 31907867
DOI: 10.1007/s13555-019-00350-1 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2022Dermatophytes are highly infectious fungi that cause superficial infections in keratinized tissues in humans and animals. This group of fungi is defined by their ability... (Review)
Review
Dermatophytes are highly infectious fungi that cause superficial infections in keratinized tissues in humans and animals. This group of fungi is defined by their ability to digest keratin and encompasses a wide range of species. Classification of many of these species has recently changed due to genetic analysis, potentially affecting clinical diagnosis and disease management. In this review, we discuss dermatophyte classification including name changes for medically important species, current and potential diagnostic techniques for detecting dermatophytes, and an in-depth review of , a prevalent zoonotic dermatophyte. Fungal culture is still considered the "gold standard" for diagnosing dermatophytosis; however, modern molecular assays have overcome the main disadvantages of culture, allowing for tandem use with cultures. Further investigation into novel molecular assays for dermatophytosis is critical, especially for high-density populations where rapid diagnosis is essential for outbreak prevention. A frequently encountered dermatophyte in clinical settings is , which causes dermatophytosis in humans and cats. is adapting to its primary host (cats) as one of its mating types (MAT1-2) appears to be going extinct, leading to a loss of sexual reproduction. Investigating strains around the world can help elucidate the evolutionary trajectory of this fungi.
PubMed: 36145389
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11090957 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2021Dermatophytes are the most common cause of fungal infections worldwide, affecting millions of people annually. The emergence of resistance among dermatophytes along with... (Review)
Review
Dermatophytes are the most common cause of fungal infections worldwide, affecting millions of people annually. The emergence of resistance among dermatophytes along with the availability of antifungal susceptibility procedures suitable for testing antifungal agents against this group of fungi make the combinatorial approach particularly interesting to be investigated. Therefore, we reviewed the scientific literature concerning the antifungal combinations against dermatophytes. A literature search on the subject performed in PubMed yielded 68 publications: 37 articles referring to in vitro studies and 31 articles referring to case reports or clinical studies. In vitro studies involved over 400 clinical isolates of dermatophytes (69% spp., 29% spp., and 2% ). Combinations included two antifungal agents or an antifungal agent plus another chemical compound including plant extracts or essential oils, calcineurin inhibitors, peptides, disinfectant agents, and others. In general, drug combinations yielded variable results spanning from synergism to indifference. Antagonism was rarely seen. In over 700 patients with documented dermatophyte infections, an antifungal combination approach could be evaluated. The most frequent combination included a systemic antifungal agent administered orally (i.e., terbinafine, griseofulvin, or azole-mainly itraconazole) plus a topical medication (i.e., azole, terbinafine, ciclopirox, amorolfine) for several weeks. Clinical results indicate that association of antifungal agents is effective, and it might be useful to accelerate the clinical and microbiological healing of a superficial infection. Antifungal combinations in dermatophytes have gained considerable scientific interest over the years and, in consideration of the interesting results available so far, it is desirable to continue the research in this field.
PubMed: 34575765
DOI: 10.3390/jof7090727 -
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational... 2020Dermatophytes are a group of keratinophilic fungi, which normally cause superficial infection of skin, hair and nails. Based on ecology, they are classified into three... (Review)
Review
Dermatophytes are a group of keratinophilic fungi, which normally cause superficial infection of skin, hair and nails. Based on ecology, they are classified into three groups: anthropophilic, zoophilic and geophilic. Superficial dermatophytic infection of the genital region is called genital dermatophytosis, tinea genitalis or pubo-genital dermatophytosis. In this review, we would like to discuss briefly, the various clinical presentations of genital dermatophytosis, current changes in the taxonomy and nomenclature, introduction of new diagnostic techniques and briefly describe some common dermatophytes and their sources. Also, there are serious concerns associated with the recent development of antifungal resistance among the dermatophytes. We are also facing the scenario of hard-to-treat dermatophytosis.
PubMed: 33061514
DOI: 10.2147/CCID.S262704 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2021Dermatophytes are a group of molds characterized by the ability to produce keratinases, thereby carving out for themselves specific ecological niches. Their traditional... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Dermatophytes are a group of molds characterized by the ability to produce keratinases, thereby carving out for themselves specific ecological niches. Their traditional division into three genera, , , and has been expanded to nine and the species in each genus were modified. Dermatophytes are among the most prevalent causes of human and animal mycoses. Their epidemiology is influenced by various factors. These factors may be evolutive such as the predilected environment of the fungus, namely, humans (anthropophilic), animals (zoophilic), or environment (geophilic), is evolutionary and thus may require centuries to develop. Many other factors, however, result from a variety of causes, affecting the epidemiology of dermatophytoses within a shorter time frame.
OBJECTIVE
This review aims at summarizing the factors that have modified the epidemiology of dermatophytoses during the last decades.
RESULTS
Geographic and climatic conditions, demography such as age and gender, migration, socio-economic conditions, lifestyle, and the environment have had an impact on changes in the epidemiology of dermatophytoses, as have changes in the pattern of human interaction with animals, including pets, farm, and wild animals. A typical example of such changes is the increased prevalence of , which spread from Latin America to the United States and subsequently becoming a frequent etiological agent of tinea capitis in Africa, Middle East, and other areas.
CONCLUSION
The comprehension of the epidemiology of dermatophytoses has a major bearing on their prevention and treatment. Since it is undergoing continuous changes, periodic assessments of the most recent developments of this topic are required. This article aims at providing such an overview.
PubMed: 34421872
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.713532 -
Current Medical Mycology Jun 2023Tinea incognita (TI), or the other equivalent tinea atypica, is a term used to declare the atypical presentation of dermatophyte infections caused by the administration... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Tinea incognita (TI), or the other equivalent tinea atypica, is a term used to declare the atypical presentation of dermatophyte infections caused by the administration of steroids or other immunosuppressive medications which modulate the local and systemic immune response. It can mimic other dermatoses; hence making diagnostic challenges for dermatologists. Tina incognita may be misdiagnosed as many dermatoses. Based on previous studies, corticosteroids may cause different clinical manifestations of dermatophytes that might be very different from those that are commonly described.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This narrative review was conducted using PubMed and Scopus databases. Search terms included "Tinea incognita" and "Atypical dermatophytosis". The search strategy included meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, observational studies, reviews, and case reports. The search was restricted to articles written in the English language from 2006 to Feb 01, 2023. Moreover, duplicate articles and non-available full-text articles were excluded. The extracted data of the search results were retrieved in this study. The morphological patterns, prevalence, sight of infection, and causative agents were also described.
RESULTS
Prevalence of different patterns of TI were recorded as 50% (431 out of 862 cases) for eczema-like lesions followed by psoriasis-like and 6.61% (57 out of 862) for parapsoriasis-like pattern. Moreover, each of the rosacea-like and pyoderma-like lesions equally accounted for 4.98 % of cases (43 out of 862). In addition, the prevalence of causative agents was reported as follows: accounted for 247 isolates (40%) as the most prevalent, followed by (n=152, 24%) and (n=119, 19%).
CONCLUSION
Tinea incognita is a great mimicker; hence, dermatologists should obtain a full medical history of the patients to make correct diagnoses. It is vital to encourage an exact identification of the etiological agent according to the internal transcribed spacer sequencing in some uncertain cases. This review highlights the importance of mycological tests and fast diagnosis of TI, especially in cases of atypical skin lesions, to choose appropriate treatment and avoid the spread of drug-resistant species.
PubMed: 38375520
DOI: 10.22034/cmm.2023.345069.1425 -
Frontiers in Bioengineering and... 2021Rising global populations due to medicinal advancements increases the patient population susceptible to superficial and severe fungal infections. Fungi often implicated... (Review)
Review
Rising global populations due to medicinal advancements increases the patient population susceptible to superficial and severe fungal infections. Fungi often implicated in these diseases includes the dermatophytes (., ., .) as well as species of the , . and genera In addition, increasing global populations leads to increasing agricultural demands. Thus, fungal infections of preharvested crops and stored food by plant pathogens such as and can have detrimental socioeconomic effects due to food insecurity. Current antifungal strategies are based mainly on small molecule antifungal drugs. However, these drugs are limited by poor solubility and bioavailability. Furthermore, antifungal resistance against these drugs are on the rise. Thus, antimicrobial polymers offer an alternative antifungal strategy. Antifungal polymers are characterised by cationic and hydrophobic regions where the cationic regions have been shown to interact with microbial phospholipids and membranes. These polymers can be synthetic or natural and demonstrate distinct antifungal mechanisms ranging from fungal cell membrane permeabilisation, cell membrane depolarisation or cell entry. Although the relative importance of such mechanisms is difficult to decipher. Due to the chemical properties of these polymers, they can be combined with other antimicrobial compounds including existing antifungal drugs, charcoals, lipids and metal ions to elicit synergistic effects. In some cases, antifungal polymers and nanocomposites show better antifungal effects or reduced toxicity compared to the widely used small molecule antifungal drugs. This review provides an overview of antimicrobial polymers and nanocomposites with antifungal activity and the current understanding of their antifungal mechanisms.
PubMed: 35004642
DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.780328 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2022Pets are increasingly becoming part of the family and interactions between pets and their owners is changing. This results in extended and more intimate contact between...
BACKGROUND
Pets are increasingly becoming part of the family and interactions between pets and their owners is changing. This results in extended and more intimate contact between owners and their pets, which give rise to zoonotic risks.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the presence of potential zoonotic pathogens in pets that sleep with their owner.
METHODS
As a pilot study, a group of 28 healthy dogs and 22 healthy cats were monitored for the presence of the zoonotic parasites Cheyletiella, spp. and spp., the dermatophyte , and the bacteria , spp., and Enterobacteriaceae. This was investigated by taking samples from the fur, the footpads and the animal bed. The owners filled in a questionnaire.
RESULTS
In total, 29 of the 50 pets (58%) slept on the bed, of which 15 pets (30%) slept in the bed (under the blankets). A total of 19/22 dogs (86%) and 7/22 cats (32%) tested positive for Enterobacteriaceae on the fur or footpads. Fleas were found in 5/22 of the cats' (23%) and 2/28 of the dogs' (7%) favourite sleeping spots. High levels of aerobic colonies were found, up to 216 colony forming units/cm. Other pathogens were not found in this study.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this preliminary study confirm literature reports that pets may constitute a potential risk in the transmission of zoonotic pathogens to their owner, especially during direct contact when sleeping in the same bed. Owners should therefore be informed about these risks and educated to interact with their pets in a more responsible way.
PubMed: 36297206
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101149