Tinea capitis: A preliminary study in diabetic and non-diabetic patients attending the dermatology clinic in a tertiary care hospital, Sri Lanka

Tinea capitis is a superficial fungal infection of the scalp caused by Trichophyton and Microsporum species. It presents as one or more rounded scaly patches of the scalp which expand, forming typical lesions with brittle or fragile hair. The study was conducted to detect the proportion of patients with tinea capitis, compare tinea capitis in diabetic and non-diabetic patients and identify any associated factors.
A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out enrolling diabetic and non-diabetic patients who attended the dermatology clinic in Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka from January to June 2021. Skin samples from infected sites were processed for direct microscopy and culture, followed by examination of a tease mount and slide culture to identify the microorganisms. Of the 112 (56 diabetic and 56 non-diabetic) patients attending the clinic, fungal growth was observed in 9 (8.0%), of which 5 (55.6%) were dermatophytes with 3 of the 5 identifying as Trichophyton sp and Trichophyton verrucosum. Diabetic patients were more prone to infection when compared with non-diabetic patients (P=0.022). Sharing combs, association with overcrowded places and less frequency of bathing were risk factors for tinea capitis.