Dermatophytes and transmission risks to family: a retrospective study of a cohort of 256 adopted children from 1998 to 2012

Pediatr Dermatol. 2015 May-Jun;32(3):426-7. doi: 10.1111/pde.12431. Epub 2014 Sep 18.

Abstract

In this 14-year retrospective study we analyzed samples collected from 101 adopted children originating from developing countries in search of dermatophytosis; a dermatophyte was isolated in 44 children. We demonstrated that dermatophytoses often have a silent clinical presentation (16%) and in approximately 20% of cases cause family member contamination. This study highlights the importance of the clinical examination of children and families as well as systematic sampling of children to avoid dermatophyte transmission to other family members.

MeSH terms

  • Adoption*
  • Child
  • Developing Countries
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tinea / epidemiology*
  • Tinea / transmission*