Tinea infections

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Hi there!

You’re looking at a short reference article from Explain Medicine (one of four distinct learning formats available in Clinical Odyssey). Try it out, and have fun improving your clinical skills.

Medicine

Last updated on:
January 25^th, 2023

Medicine

Last updated on:
January 25^th, 2023

Hi there!

You’re looking at a short reference article from Explain Medicine (one of four distinct learning formats available in Clinical Odyssey). Try it out, and have fun improving your clinical skills.

Introduction

Fact	Explanation
Summary	Tinea infections are fungal infections caused by dermatophytes. Tinea infections can affect the skin, nails, and hair, and are classified according to the affected site.
Epidemiology	The prevalence of tinea infections is 20-25%. Tinea infections are the second most common skin disease in the United States. The most common tinea infections are tinea pedis, tinea corporis, and tinea cruris. Tinea infections can affect all age groups, with different types of infection being more prevalent in certain age groups.
Pathophysiology	Tinea infections are usually limited to superficial keratinized tissue (skin, hair and nails). The dermatophytes invade the stratum corneum of the skin, where their metabolic products and a delayed hypersensitivity reaction cause inflammation. Fungi transmitted from animals to humans usually cause a more severe inflammatory response than the fungi transmitted from person to person.
Microbiology	Tinea infections are superficial fungal infections caused by three genera of dermatophytes: Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton. Trichophyton commonly involves skin, hair, and nail. Trichophyton rubrum is is the most common microorganism in tinea infections, except for tinea capitis, where Trichophyton tonsurans is more common. Microsporum commonly involves skin and hair. Epidermophyton commonly involves skin and nails.

Summary

Tinea infections are fungal infections caused by dermatophytes. Tinea infections can affect the skin, nails, and hair, and are classified according to the affected site.

Epidemiology

The prevalence of tinea infections is 20-25%. Tinea infections are the second most common skin disease in the United States. The most common tinea infections are tinea pedis, tinea corporis, and tinea cruris. Tinea infections can affect all age groups, with different types of infection being more prevalent in certain age groups.

Pathophysiology

Tinea infections are usually limited to superficial keratinized tissue (skin, hair and nails). The dermatophytes invade the stratum corneum of the skin, where their metabolic products and a delayed hypersensitivity reaction cause inflammation. Fungi transmitted from animals to humans usually cause a more severe inflammatory response than the fungi transmitted from person to person.

Microbiology

Tinea infections are superficial fungal infections caused by three genera of dermatophytes: Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton. Trichophyton commonly involves skin, hair, and nail. Trichophyton rubrum is is the most common microorganism in tinea infections, except for tinea capitis, where Trichophyton tonsurans is more common. Microsporum commonly involves skin and hair. Epidermophyton commonly involves skin and nails.

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