Emergence of Microsporum audouinii and Trichophyton tonsurans as Causative Organisms of Tinea Capitis in the Dominican Republic

BackgroundTinea capitis affects mainly children. The frequency and causative organism vary from region to region.ObjectivesTo provide epidemiological and mycological data on tinea capitis collected in urban and rural areas of the Dominican Republic.MethodsSamples were obtained from 118 patients with tinea capitis. Sixty-three of these were from 2 schools in urban areas of the Dominican capital Santo Domingo (53%) and 55 were from rural schools on the border with Haiti (47%).ResultsThe study included 84 boys (71.18%) and 34 girls (28.81%). The urban sample comprised mainly boys (84.12%). The most represented age ranges were 6 to 8 years (47.45%), 3 to 5 years (24.59%), and 9 to 11 years (16.94%). Microsporum audouinii (39.68%), Trichophyton tonsurans (23.80%), Microsporum canis (19.04%), and Trichophyton violaceum (1.58%) were isolated from children in urban areas, whereas T. tonsurans (87%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (2%) were isolated from those in rural areas. Overall, T. tonsurans (61.16%), M. audouinii (24.27%), and M canis (11.65%) were the most frequently isolated causative organisms, whereas T. violaceum and T. mentagrophytes were rarely reported.ConclusionsIn urban areas of the Dominican Republic, tinea capitis was found mainly in boys, but in rural areas it was evenly distributed among boys and girls. The emergence of M. audouinii and an increase in T. tonsurans were found while M. canis continued to be present at lower frequencies. On the rural border with Haiti, there was a significant predominance of T. tonsurans.

ResumenAntecedentesLas tiñas de la cabeza predominan en los niños, con una frecuencia y etiología variables en diferentes partes del mundo.ObjetivosComunicar los datos epidemiológicos y micológicos de tiña del cuero cabelludo observados en la zona urbana y rural de la República Dominicana.MetodologíaSe estudiaron 118 muestras de pacientes con diagnóstico de tiña de la cabeza en la República Dominicana, 63 de dos escuelas urbanas en la capital Santo Domingo (53%) y 55 de escuelas rurales en la frontera dominico-haitiana (47%).ResultadosSe estudiaron 84 varones (71,18%) y 34 mujeres (28,81%). En la zona urbana predominó en los varones (84,12%). La edad con mayores porcentajes fue entre 6 y 8 años (47,45%), de 3 y 5 años (24,59%) y 9 y 11 años (16,94%). En la zona urbana se aislaron M. audouinii (39,68%), T. tonsurans (23,80%), M. canis (19,04%) y T. violaceum (1,58%) y en la zona rural T. tonsurans (87%) y T. mentagrophytes (2%) y globalmente T. tonsurans (61,16%), M. audouinii (24,27%) y M. canis (11,65%) y rara vez T. violaceum y T. mentagrophytes.ConclusionesEn la República Dominicana, en la zona urbana, la tiña de la cabeza predomina en los varones y en la zona rural tiene una frecuencia similar en ambos sexos. Se detectó una emergencia por M. audouinii, un incremento de Trichophyton tonsurans, y una estabilidad con frecuencia más baja de M. canis. En la zona rural y la frontera con Haití hay un predominio significativo de T. tonsurans.