Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Rajiv Gandhi Medical College and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital, Thane, India.
Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2011 Sep-Oct;77(5):591-3. doi: 10.4103/0378-6323.84065.
White piedra is a rare fungal infection of hair and is reported to be all the more rare on scalp. Trichosporon inkin is usually associated with white piedra of pubic hair. We report a case of white piedra of scalp hair caused by T. inkin. This is the first case reported from India and the fifth case reported worldwide. A 50-year-old Muslim female presented with white knots over scalp hair. Diagnosis of Trichosporon was made by examining KOH mounts of epilated hair and Lactophenol Cotton Blue preparations of the growth in culture. Automated mini-API test (for biochemical profiles) and Electronmicroscopy studies (for cell wall structures) helped in identification of the species. Mini-API test was also positive for Cryptococcus curvatus which could be due to similarity in biochemical and physiological properties of the two species. Absence of C. curvatus on culture further supports this view. Topical antifungal therapy resulted in clinical clearance within 2 months. Higher incidence of scalp white piedra is observed in Muslim females; contributing factor being the custom of using a veil, leading to higher humidity and limited sunlight exposure.
白色发石是一种罕见的毛发真菌感染，据报道在头皮上更为罕见。须发毛孢子菌通常与阴毛的白色发石有关。我们报告了一例由 T. inkin 引起的头皮毛发白色发石。这是印度首例报告，也是全球第五例报告。一名 50 岁的穆斯林女性因头皮毛发上有白色结节就诊。通过检查拔毛的 KOH 载玻片和培养物中生长的乳酚棉蓝制剂，诊断为毛孢子菌。自动化微型 API 测试（用于生化特征）和电子显微镜研究（用于细胞壁结构）有助于鉴定物种。微型 API 测试也对卷曲隐球菌呈阳性，这可能是由于两种物种在生化和生理特性上的相似性。培养物中不存在卷曲隐球菌进一步支持了这一观点。局部抗真菌治疗在 2 个月内使临床症状得到清除。穆斯林女性中头皮白色发石的发病率较高；造成这种情况的因素是使用面纱的习俗，导致更高的湿度和有限的阳光暴露。
