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Cytobrush-culture method to diagnose tinea capitis

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Abstract

This is a comparative study to isolate the dermatophytes of tinea capitis using the cytobrush and comparing it versus the standard method. A prospective, observational, comparative trial of 178 probable cases of tinea capitis was conducted in two dermatological centers. Each patient underwent mycological tests that included direct exam with KOH and cultures with either of two methods: scraping the scalp to remove hair and cell debris, and the cytobrush. A total of 135 clinically and mycologically proven cases of tinea capitis were included; 119 were non-inflammatory and 16 inflammatory tinea. A total of 131 had a positive direct exam and subsequent primary isolation cultures were obtained in 135 cases. The main dermatophytes isolated were Microsporum canis (68%) and Trichophyton tonsurans (20%). A total of 115/135 (85.1%), were detected with the traditional method, with an average of 11.2 days until positive, while the number detected with the cytobrush was 132/135 (97.7%) with an average of 8.5 days until positive. The chi-square statistical method showed that the cytobrush culture was superior to the standard one with a chi-square of 5.078 (P = 0.025), with a statistically significant difference versus the standard method.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dermatology Service & Mycology Department, Hospital General de México OD, Sanchez Azcona 317 int 202, Col del Valle, Mexico, DF, Mexico

    Alexandro Bonifaz, Javier Araiza, Marco A. Hernández & Rosa Maria Ponce

  2. Mycology Lab, Instituto Dominicano de Dermatología y Cirugía de Piel, Dr. Huberto Bogaert, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

    Rafael Isa-Isa & Cecilia Cruz

Authors
  1. Alexandro Bonifaz
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  2. Rafael Isa-Isa
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  3. Javier Araiza
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  4. Cecilia Cruz
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  5. Marco A. Hernández
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  6. Rosa Maria Ponce
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Correspondence to Alexandro Bonifaz.

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Bonifaz, A., Isa-Isa, R., Araiza, J. et al. Cytobrush-culture method to diagnose tinea capitis. Mycopathologia 163, 309–313 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-007-9019-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-007-9019-6

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