2006 Volume 116 Issue 12 Pages 1777-1783
A case of Kerion celsi is described in a 6-year-old boy, who returned to Japan from Singapore. Physical examination revealed ill-demarcated alopecia lesions without black dots on the parietal and right temporal regions. Microscopic examination with potassium hydroxide of broken hairs revealed endothrix spores. An identification of Trichophyton tonsurans was made by fungal culture and DNA analysis. The patient’s scalp cleared after oral administration of terbinafine, 62.5 mg per day, for 13 weeks. In recent years, many cases of T. tonsurans infection have been reported in those who participate in judo or wrestling, and the problem of group infection among such players has been pointed out. A literature review can help to clarify the mycological characteristics of T. tonsurans in Japan.
