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- Brendan P. Kelly, MD*
- *Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Tufts University School of Medicine, Bayside Children's Hospital, Springfield, MA.
Author Disclosure
Dr Kelly has disclosed no financial relationships relevant to this article. This commentary does contain a discussion of an unapproved/investigative use of a commercial product/device.
- AAP:
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- FDA:
- Food and Drug Administration
- KOH:
- potassium hydroxide
Educational Gap
Superficial fungal infections are often mistaken for other common diseases, and the epidemiology of tinea capitis has changed, requiring adaptation in diagnostic techniques.
Objectives
After completing this article, readers should be able to:
Recognize the many forms of superficial fungal infections and be aware of their varied clinical presentations and complications.
Be aware of other common skin conditions that can mimic superficial fungal infections.
Understand proper techniques for diagnosing superficial fungal infections.
Be aware of recommended regimens for treating superficial fungal infections.
Introduction
Infections caused by pathogenic fungi and limited to the human hair, nails, epidermis, and mucosa are referred to as superficial fungal infections. Despite the fact that these infections rarely are dangerous or life threatening, they are important because of their worldwide distribution, frequency, person-to-person transmission, and morbidity. Furthermore, particularly severe infections or those refractory to treatment may be the first indication of an underlying immunodeficiency.
Dermatophytosis (tinea or ringworm), pityriasis versicolor (formerly tinea versicolor), and candidiasis (moniliasis) are the three most common types of superficial fungal infections. The dermatophytes are a large group of related fungi that can infect human skin, hair, and nails; they are found in soil (geophilic organisms), on animals (zoophilic), and on humans (anthropophilic). These fungi require keratin for growth and, therefore, they are unable to infect mucosal surfaces. These fungi are found all over the world, although the specific species, and subsequent clinical presentation, vary from region to region.
Dermatophytosis is labeled by the involved area of the body (eg, tinea corporis, tinea capitis¸ tinea pedis, tinea unguium). Pityriasis versicolor is caused by the yeast form of a dimorphic fungus that is considered part of the normal …
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