Trichomycosis (Trichobacteriosis): Clinical and Microbiological Experience with 56 Cases

BACKGROUND: Trichomycosis is asymptomatic bacterial infection of the axillary hairs caused by Corynebacterium sp. OBJECTIVE: to bring a series of cases of trichomycosis, its clinical and microbiological experience. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This report consists in a linear and observational retrospective study of 15 years of cases of trichomycosis confirmed clinically and microbiologically. RESULTS: Fifty six confirmed cases of trichomycosis were included in this report. The majority were men 53/56 (94.6%), mean age was 32.5 years. The most commonly affected area was the axilla (92%), trichomycosis flava was the principal variant 55/56 (98.2%) and signs and symptoms associated were hyperhidrosis (87.5%), hairs’ texture change (57.1%) and odor (35.7%). Bacterial concretions were observed in all cases, and the predominant causative agent in 89.3% of all cases was Corynebacterium sp. Thirty patients were included in therapeutic portion of the study, and 28 (93.3%) of them experienced a clinical and microbiological cure. CONCLUSION: Trichomycosis is asymptomatic, superficial infection, which primarily affects axillary hairs.