Kerion Celsi caused by Microsporum gypseum in a Chinese child, a case report

• Published in: Medicine (Baltimore) Vol. 101; no. 13; p. e28936
• Main Authors: Wei, Shuyue, Wang, Haiying, Li, Ailan, Yuan, Chunying
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 01-04-2022; Wolters Kluwer
• Subjects: Animals; Antifungal Agents - therapeutic use; Arthrodermataceae; China; Clinical Case Report; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Microsporum; Tinea Capitis - diagnosis; Tinea Capitis - drug therapy; Tinea Capitis - microbiology; China
• ISSN: 0025-7974; 1536-5964
• DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000028936

Kerion Celsi, a severe form of tinea capitis, is generally caused by zoophilic and geophilic fungi. This is the first report of an unusual case of kerion Celsi caused by Microsporum gypseum in a 6-year-old boy.
A 6-year-old boy presented to the dermatology clinic with the complaint of multiple pustules, edematous plaques over the scalp with hair loss for 1 month.
Clinical and laboratory investigations, including reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, confirmed M gypseum causing kerion Celsi.
Upon combination therapy using oral itraconazole and oral prednisolone along with the topical terbinafine, kerion Celsi remitted in the patient.
New hair growth was noted during the 4-month follow-up.
We presented the first case of kerion Celsi infection secondary to M gypseum that was probably transmitted from a guinea pig.