Clinical, Dermoscopic, and Mycological Characteristics of Tinea Capitis in Children

NCT07802600 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: Soh-Med-26-8-10MS
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 100
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Tinea capitis is a common dermatophyte infection of the scalp in children aged 0-9 years .The prevalence of tinea capitis in Egypt is 0.4% and higher in public than private schools, Boys were more affected than girls according to children by 5:1 ratio , It is more prevalent in those who live in urban areas, large families, low socioeconomic level, crowded living conditions and immunocompromised people . Tinea capitis is caused by dermatophyte fungi Trichophyton and Microsporum genera. These fungi are classified as: anthropophilic, zoophilic, and geophilic according to the route of infection. These fungi invade the hair shaft in two routes: ectothrix and endothrix . T.tonsurans and T.violaceum are reported to be the most common cause of tinea capitis

Conditions

Fungal Infection by Site; Tinea Capitis

Keywords

Tinea capitis; antifungal resistance; dermatophyte; KOH

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Percentage of participants presenting with specific clinical patterns of tinea capitis

  Clinical evaluation will be performed to identify and classify the presentation of tinea capitis lesions (e.g., scaly patches, black dots, kerion, favus).

  At the time of initial clinical evaluation

• Percentage of participants exhibiting specific dermoscopic features of tinea capitis

  Dermoscopic examination using a handheld dermatoscope to identify characteristic signs including comma hairs, corkscrew hairs, broken hairs, and scaling.

  At the time of initial dermoscopic evaluation

• Prevalence of isolated fungal species among pediatric tinea capitis cases

  Mycological evaluation including direct microscopic KOH preparation and fungal culture on agar media to isolate and identify the causative fungal pathogens.

  At the time of initial sample collection and culture identification

Study Arms (1)

patients with tinea capitis both male and female in childhood period

Diagnostic Test: Dermoscopic examination: the findings are divided into pathognomic and non-specific signs; Diagnostic Test: Direct Microscopy (KOH) examination; Diagnostic Test: Fungal culture:; Diagnostic Test: Antifungal sensitivity:

Interventions

Fungal culture: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Specimen will be cultured on sabouraud's dextrose agar (SDA) at 25 -30 c for 2 to 4 weeks and another specimen will be cultured on a Dermasel agar base (Oxoid, UK), both supplemented with chloramphenicol and cycloheximide , staining the fungal colonies by Lactophenol cotton blue to help the examination of colonial morphology and microscopic examination of the macro-conidia allow the identification of the dermatophyte species and suitable treatment

patients with tinea capitis both male and female in childhood period

Antifungal sensitivity: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Antifungal susceptibility testing will be performed to determine the specific sensitivity profiles of the fungal isolates. Antifungal susceptibility testing will be performed using seven antifungal agents: Terbinafine, Itraconazole, Griseofulvin, Fluconazole, Ketoconazole, Vorioconole and Miconazole. Dermatophytes colonies will be probed from Dermasel agar cultures.

patients with tinea capitis both male and female in childhood period

Dermoscopic examination: the findings are divided into pathognomic and non-specific signs DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

1. Pathognomic signs: comma hairs, corkscrew hairs, Morse code like hairs and zig-zag hairs. 2. Non-specific signs: black dots, broken hairs, perifollicular scaling and inter follicular erythema

patients with tinea capitis both male and female in childhood period

Direct Microscopy (KOH) examination DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

1. Suspected lesions will be swabbed with 70% ethyl alcohol then scalp scraping using the blunt edge of a sterile surgical blade 2. Skin scales and crusts will be collected from the erythematous, peripheral, actively expanding edges of the lesions onto clean glass slides by scraping the inflamed lesions the scales will contain infected stumps of hair 3. Hair will be removed with the root intact (hair cutting will be avoided) 4. Specimen will be prepared by mounting the sample in (10-30%) of potassium hydroxide with 40% Dimethyle sulphoxide (DMSO) drops on the petri slide to soften the tissue, allowing a thin layer of cells to form.

patients with tinea capitis both male and female in childhood period

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 1 Year - 18 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study will be conducted at the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic in Sohag University Hospitals. Study population: The study population will be all patients with tinea capitis both male and female in childhood period, Aged 1-18 years old

You may qualify if:

• \- Both male and female in childhood period (1-18 years) with tinea capitis

You may not qualify if:

• Topical or systemic antifungal medications one month prior to enrollment in the study
• Presence of systemic disease, such as hepatic,renal, cardiac, autoimmune diseases, or malignancy

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Sohag University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Faculty of Medicine , Sohag university

Sohag, Egypt

Location

Related Links

• Related Info

Biospecimen

Retention: SAMPLES WITH DNA

1. Suspected lesions will be swabbed with 70% ethyl alcohol then scalp scraping using the blunt edge of a sterile surgical blade 2. Skin scales and crusts will be collected from the erythematous, peripheral, actively expanding edges of the lesions onto clean glass slides by scraping the inflamed lesions the scales will contain infected stumps of hair 3. Hair will be removed with the root intact (hair cutting will be avoided) 4. Specimen will be prepared by mounting the sample in (10-30%) of potassium hydroxide with 40% Dimethyle sulphoxide (DMSO) drops on the petri slide to soften the tissue, allowing a thin layer of cells to form.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Tinea Capitis

Interventions

Physical Examination

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Tinea; Dermatomycoses; Mycoses; Bacterial Infections and Mycoses; Infections; Skin Diseases, Infectious; Scalp Dermatoses; Skin Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis

Study Officials

• Mohammed Abu El Hamd Ali

  Faculty of Medicine , Sohag university

  STUDY CHAIR

• Doaa Gaber Abdelbaset

  Faculty of Medicine , Sohag university

  STUDY CHAIR

Central Study Contacts

Noha Shafik, Assistant professor

CONTACT

01067261504; nohasaber@med.sohag.edu.eg

Walaa Hemdan Abu Alhassan, Demonstrator

CONTACT

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: principal investigator ,demonstrator of dermatology and andrology

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 28, 2026
• First Posted: September 3, 2026
• Study Start: September 20, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 20, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 20, 2027
• Last Updated: September 3, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

EG (1)