Coexistence of Malassezia Species and Microsporum canis in the Lesions of Adult with Tinea Capitis

Abstract

Tinea capitis, primarily caused by dermatophytes such as Trichophyton and Microsporum species, is a superficial fungal infection affecting the scalp and hair, commonly observed in prepubertal children but rare in adults. Here we report a unique case of an adult female with tinea capitis presenting as diffused alopecia and erythema inflammation on the scalp’s apex, mimicking seborrheic dermatitis. Examination of the hair and scalp using fluorescence microscopy and fungal culture identified the presence of hyphae from Malassezia globosa, Malassezia furfur and Microsporum canis. The patient underwent with oral antifungal treatment for 3 months, resulting in the resolution of the rash and subsequent hair regrowth, with no recurrence during 6-month follow-up. In vitro co-culture experiments of Microsporum canis and Malassezia (both Malassezia globose and Malassezia furfur) revealed that Malassezia appears to facilitate Microsporum canis growth, while the reverse was not observed. This data suggests that Malassezia’s use of long-chain fatty acids by might reduce its antibacterial effect, potentially aiding adult tinea capitis development caused by Microsporum canis.

Keywords:

• Microsporum canis
• Malassezia
• tinea capitis
• coinfection

Data Sharing Statement

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.

Ethics Approval and Informed Consent

This study was approved by the Institutional Research and Ethics Committee of Jining No. 1 People’s Hospital to publish the case details (Ethical approval no. 2022-029). The patient provided written informed consent for publication of this case report and any accompanying images. The study was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The first author vouches for the completeness and accuracy of the data and for the adherence of the study to the protocol.

Consent for Publication

Written informed consent was obtained from the patient described in this report. A copy of the written consent is available by request.

Acknowledgments

We thank the patient for granting permission to publish this information.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported in part by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NM 82272358), Key Research and Development Plan of Jining (2023YXNS001), Medicine health science and technology development plan of Shandong Province (202202070556).