Some data on the occurrence of trichophyton tonsurans in Romania

Summary During the last 12 years,T. tonsurans has been isolated from 250 cases of various mycotic infections, 80% in the adults, the rest in children. The age of infected patients varied from 1 to 66 years, the female being represented by 10%.Most of the cases (93%) involved the hair follicles, 45 of them affecting the bearded area, in which 4 clinical types could be distinguished: the superficial form, the kerion type (in 11% of the cases) and 2 intermediate forms.In 16% of cases,T. tonsurans attacked the scalp, simulating various nonmycotic dermatoses as impetigo, seborrheic dermatitis, tinea amiantacea etc. 5 cases of the scalp infection were found in the adults (3 of black-dot type, the other 2 of superficial tinea capitis). The same variety of clinical manifestations was observed in the glabrous skin, which this species affected in 7% of the cases. It also involved the nails in 2 cases only. T. tonsurans is in continuous decrease in Romania for the last ten years (4% of all the dermatophytes). This dermatophyte remained, till now, the main agent of tinea barbae in Romania. Community epidemics as those caused byM. audouinii andM. ferrugineum have not yet occurred in this country.