People can get tinea capitis, a fungal infection of the scalp, from pets or by sharing hairbrushes, hats and pillows with other people, a dermatologist said.
The warning was issued by Pan Chi-yue (潘企岳), dermatology department director at Taipei City Hospital’s Zhongxing Branch.
Pan cited recent cases as examples, such as an eight-year-old girl who had two red rashes with pustules on her scalp for about four weeks, which was accompanied by pain and hair loss.
She was taken to the dermatology department at Taipei City Hospital’s Zhongxing Branch when her condition did not improve after seeing a doctor at a clinic, he said.
A 69-year-old woman, who sought treatment at the department on the same day, came in with patches of hair loss, which had been occurring for about six months, the hospital said.
She also has chronic diabetes, and was found to have fungal nail infections and athlete’s foot.
Microscopic examination of the patients’ hair samples found fungal spores and hyphae in and on their hair shafts.
They were both diagnosed with tinea capitis.
Fungal infection like tinea capitis, which affect the scalp, skin, hair and nails, are mostly caused by dermatophytes, which include several genera of fungi such as microsporum, trichophyton and epidermophyton, Pan said.
Microsporum and trichophyton cause infections of the hair, he said.
Tinea capitis can be diagnosed through microscopy of a hair sample collected from the infected area, and a fungal culture might confirm the causative fungus, Pan said.
Oral antifungal medication is the primary treatment for tinea capitis, and it usually takes at least six weeks to ensure that the infection clears, he said.
However, if treatment is delayed, extensive inflammation can cause scarring, which would lead to permanent hair loss, Pan added.
Tinea capitis predominantly occurs in children, but can affect any age group and is spread through close contact with an infected person, he said, adding that people should avoid sharing combs, hairbrushes, hats, hair clips, towels and pillows with other people.
Aside from person-to-person transmission, it is also possible to get it from close contact with infected animals such as dogs, cats and rabbits, he said.
People who have hair loss and symptoms of tinea capitis, and find that their pet has similar symptoms, are advised to also take their pet to get medical treatment, Pan said.
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