Trichophyton rubrum tinea capitis in an 85-year-old woman.

BACKGROUND

Tinea capitis is a worldwide problem and occurs most commonly in young children. Certain common fungal types are most often recognized as the responsible infecting organism.

OBJECTIVE

This article presents the case of an elderly woman with tinea capitis caused by a fungal organism that rarely infects hair. A review of the world literature provides evidence of only a few other similar cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Trichophyton rubrum causing tinea capitis in adults is a rare but now increasingly recognized entity. This possibility should be kept in mind when caring for adults with nonhealing scalp conditions.