P285 Predominance of Trichophyton tonsurans causing tinea capitis: a 12-years retrospective study in north of Iran

POSTER SESSION 2, SEPTEMBER 22, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: BACKGROUND: Tinea capitis is a common and endemic fungal infection of the scalp that Trichophyton spp. and Microsporum spp. usually cause. This study aimed to investigate tinea capitis and its etiologic agents for 12 years in northern Iran. MATERIAL METHODS: The study is a retrospective analysis involving 11 095 patients referred to the Reference Laboratory of Medical Mycology at Sari, Iran, from July 2009 to April 2022. The skin scraping and hair samples were assessed based on direct microscopy and culture, and causative agents were identified based on macroscopic, and microscopic morphology. RESULTS: Tinea capitis was confirmed in 209 patients: 157 (75.1%) male and 52 (24.9%) female out of 921 suspected patients with a scalp lesion. The prevalence of tinea capitis in patients who refer to the Reference Laboratory of Medical Mycology varied from 6.1 to 37.5%. In both sexes, a higher rate of tinea capitis was observed in patients younger than 20 years of age. Trichophyton tonsurans (146/209; 69.9%) was the most etiological agent, followed by T. mentagrophytes (13/209; 6.2), T. violaseum (9/209; 4.3), Microsporum canis (3/209; 1.4%), T. verrucosum (2/209; 1%), and T. rubrum (1/209; 0.5%). On direct microscopy examination, endothrix hair invasion in 77.0% cases, ectothrix in 2.3%, septate hyphae in 10.5%, and ecto-endothrix in one case were observed. CONCLUSION: In recent decades, the prevalence of tinea capitis caused by anthropophilic fungi has remained high, particularly in younger children. Therefore, it is essential to focus on public and personal health education in this age group to prevent and control the disease.