doctor's notes Claudio Italiano
See before to the page about mycoses, we now speak about the tinea capitis, also called the "ringworm of the scalp" which is not only the conditions in which the hair fall, but it's
a real infections of the skin and skin appendages (hairs and nails) due to mycoses, not by worms. In the past Tinea capitis was an alopecia of the children.
The tinea are a fungal superficial lesion of the scalp that manifest themselves as:
Dermatophyte lesions: tinea capitis, the scutuli
- partially alopecic areas
- eritemated-desquamative patches
- nail lesions.
The capillice tins are still today among the most frequent infections in
developing countries, while they are rare in industrialized countries for
improved hygienic conditions.
On the other hand, the cones of the hairless skin, for example inguinal folds and feet, are still widespread today, being
able to spread for the promiscuous use of swimming pools, showers, baths,
etc. Particularly widespread in military environments, where soldiers keep
personal effects for beards, combs and so on, inside plastic bags, with the
result that the mushrooms spread and are spread through the scarification of
the skin, during the shaving operation and, in any case, for poor hygiene
standards.
The disease is caused by dermatophytes, ie the skin fungus, which have
keratolytic power, ie to dissolve the keratin of which the hairs and nails
are made and to grow easily on the skin. All these
mycoses have the power to attack the keratin, a filamentous protein, of which
it is constituted the stratum corneum of the epidermis, the hair and the
nails. In fact, they are equipped with keratinases, an enzyme capable of
dissolving keratin and allowing the growth of the mycetes.
They belong to the class of Ascomycetes, which in turn are distinguished in:
- microsporum
- trichophyton
- epidermophyton
Generally children are infected with each other,
while playing, or for contact with pets, especially cats and dogs.
The genus trychophyton, as the same name says, (from the
Greek: of the hair, the plant) parasitize the body hairs and form large
spores inside the hairs (endothrix macrospore), or spores of the "chain"
type outside the hair (ectothrix macrospore) or small spores (ectothrix
microspores), or outside and inside at the same time. The dermatologist who
visits you, uses a simple trick to recognize fungi injuries: it uses Wood
light, that is dark lamps with ultraviolet light, to nickel oxides.
The following species belong to you:
T. mentagrophytes, which is characterized by the ectothrix type of
microspore, not visible in the light of Wood, that is with the ultraviolet
lamp, of which man can be infected with the proximity of domestic animals,
in particular children who touch dogs and cats and then they scratch the
skin; the man can be infected on the beard and spread the infection with the
razor, even by barbers, especially those who do not observe the hygiene
rules. It is a classic infectious with military barber! It is also reported
infection of inguinal folds, especially in sexual relations with prostitutes
of low village or at the foot, bathing in showers in the gym, in the factory,
and always in the barracks, where the medical officer does not do his duty!
T. rubrum, a endo-ectothrix macrospore species, negative to Wood's lamp,
responsible for the cones of the feet, the axillary and inguinal folds, very
common in Italy.
T. schoenleini, species with macrospore endo-e / o ectothrix, weakly
positive in the light of Wood, responsible for the ringworm favosa, so
called for the yellow-sulfur color of the lesions
T. tonsurans, T. verrucosum T. violaceum are other uncommon species,
responsible for capillice tigneous today difficult to find.
Tinea barbae from T. mentagrophytes
The genus microsporum includes mushrooms that parasitize the hair on the
outside and form a sheath of small spores, hence the name micros and sporum,
therefore spore ectothrix.
We distinguish:
M. canis, a positive species to Wood's lamp, which affects our pets, dogs
and cats and, therefore, the children who play and caress these animals,
especially if they are not washed and treated by vets! It spreads to the
scalp and the skin of the inguinal folds, also, for example, by direct
contagion during promiscuous sexual relations.
M. gypseum, negative in the light of Wood, which can also give the cones and
infections to the inguinal skin.
Specific therapy with antifungal drugs, such as fluconazole or
Griseofulvina or Terbinafina. The treatment is not without side effects and
must be prescribed by your doctor.
Medicated shampoo and creams
Your doctor may prescribe a medicated shampoo to remove fungus and prevent
the spread of infection. The shampoo contains the active antifungal
ingredient ketoconazole or selenium sulfide.
Topic drug such as creams are: Allilamines Nafifine Terbinafine Cream
and solution 1% Cream, solution, gel 1% Dermatophytes (fungicide) Some non-dermatophyte
molds Yeasts (fungistatic in vitro) 1 / die Azoles Bifonazole,
clotrimazole, econazole, fenticonazole, fluconazole, ketoconazole,
isoconazole, miconazole, sulconazole, tioconazole