Abstract
Dermatophytosis caused by Trichophyton rubrum is the most common cutaneous fungal infection in industrialized countries and worldwide with high recurrence and lack of treatment response. In addition, patients with cutaneous and concurrent toenail lesions are often misdiagnosed and therefore treated with an inappropriate therapy. In this study, we evaluated five previously misdiagnosed cases of T.rubrum chronic dermatophytosis sustained by two variants at sites distant from the primary lesion. Our patients were successfully treated by systemic and topical therapy, and 1 year after the end of therapy follow-up did not show any recurrence of infection.
Our data indicate that the localization of all lesions, the isolation and the identification of the causative fungus are essential to establish the diagnosis and the setting of a correct therapeutic treatment to avoid recurrences.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Atzori L, Pau M, Aste N et al (2012) Dermatophyte infections mimicking other skin diseases: a 154-person case survey of tinea atypica in the district of Cagliari (Italy). Int J Dermatol 51:410–415
Balci DD, Cetin M (2008) Widespread, chronic, and fluconazole-resistant Trichophyton rubrum infection in an immunocompetent patient. Mycoses 51:546–548
Blake JS, Dahl MV, Herron MJ et al (1991) An immunoinhibitory cell wall glycoprotein (mannan) from Trichophyton rubrum. J Invest Dermatol 96:657–661
Böhmer U, Korting HC (1999) Trichophyton rubrum syndrome with axillary tinea infection. Hautarzt 50:292–294
Di Chiacchio N, Madeira CL, Humaire CR et al (2014) Superficial mycoses at the Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São Paulo between 2005 and 2011. An Bras Dermatol 89:67–71
Gupta AK, Cooper EA (2008) Update in antifungal therapy of dermatophytosis. Mycopathologia 166:353–367
Hay RJ (1982) Chronic dermatophyte infections. Clinical and mycological features. Br J Dermatol 106:1–7
Kick G, Korting HC (2001) The definition of Trichophyton rubrum syndrome. Mycoses 44:167–171
Kong QT, Du X, Yang R et al (2015) Chronically recurrent and widespread tinea corporis due to Trichophyton rubrum in an immunocompetent patient. Mycopathologia 179:293–297
Larruskain J, Piñeiro L, Idigoras P et al (2005) Dermatophytosis with concurrent lesions in distant locations. Prognostic and therapeutic significance. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin 23:191–193
Nenoff P, Krüger C, Schaller J et al (2014) Mycology – an update. Part 1: dermatomycoses: causative agents, epidemiology and pathogenesis. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges 12:749–777
Piñeiro L, Larruskain J, Idigoras P et al (2010) Trichophyton rubrum syndrome: the tip of the iceberg and a preventable outcome. Mycoses 53:186
Prasad PVS, Priya K, Kaviarasan PK et al (2005) A study of chronic dermatophyte infection in a rural hospital. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 71:129–130
Sato N, Tagami H (2003) Severe measles in a young female patient with chronic, generalized Trichophyton rubrum infection showing type 2 helper T cell-dominant immunologic reactivity. J Am Acad Dermatol 48(5 Suppl):S43–S46
Tan Y, Lin L, Feng P et al (2014) Dermatophytosis caused by Trichophyton rubrum mimicking syphilid: a case report and review of literature. Mycoses 57:312–315
Waldman A, Segal R, Berdicevsky I et al (2010) CD4+ and CD8+ T cells mediated direct cytotoxic effect against Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Int J Dermatol 49:149–157
Yin X, Du X, Zhang H (2011) A case of tinea barbae due to Trichophyton rubrum infection by autoinoculation from the infected fingernails. Mycoses 54:e864–e866
Zaias N, Rebell G (1996) Chronic dermatophytosis caused by Trichophyton rubrum. J Am Acad Dermatol 35:S17–S20
Zaias N, Rebell G (2003) Clinical and mycological status of the Trichophyton mentagrophytes (interdigitale) syndrome of chronic dermatophytosis of the skin and nails. Int J Dermatol 42:779–788
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Tullio, V. et al. (2015). Advances in Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Public Health: Refractory Trichophyton rubrum Infections in Turin, Italy: A Problem Still Present. In: Donelli, G. (eds) Advances in Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Public Health. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology(), vol 901. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2015_5012
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2015_5012
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-27934-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-27935-0
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)