Tinea Faciei - Hypo Diagnosed Facial Dermatoses

Tinea Faciei - Hypo Diagnosed Facial Dermatoses Background. Tinea faciei is dermatophytoses limited to the nonbearded regions of the face. The objectives of the study are: to assess the frequency of the Tinea faciei patients, the most common causative dermatophytic species and to point out on great diversity of clinical presentation of Tinea faciei. Patients and Methods. The patients with Tinea facie treated in the Mycological Ambulance, Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty in Skopje, during the period Jun 2007 - Jan 2009 were evaluated. The diagnosis was confirmed by microscopic examination of skin and hair specimens and by culture on Sabouraud's medium with added chloramphenicol, gentamycin and actidion. Results. Six hundreds patients with dermatophytosis were diagnosed over a time period of twenty months (Jun 2007 - January 2009). The Tinea faciei patients represented 2.2% (13) of all patients with dermatophytosis. Most frequently isolated dermatophytic species are Trichophyton verrucosum (38.46% of all Tinea faciei patients), Microsporum canis (30.77%), Trichophyton rubrum (23.08%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes (7.69%). The zoophylic dermatophytic species are predominant. All of the Tinea faciei patients are initially misdiagnosed as having other dermatoses. Conclusions. In patients with erythematous lesions of the face, a diagnosis of Tinea faciei should be considered. The variable morphology of Tinea faciei creates a large differential diagnosis. The frequent atypical clinical features and incognito presentations make Tinea faciei a unique and most frequently hypo diagnosed facial dermatoses with often delayed appropriate treatment.