Pityriasis versicolor in children : a clinical study of 82 cases

Abstract EN

'Background & Objective: Pityriasis versicolor (PV) is a superficial fungal infection that is uncommonly reported in children.

Clinical diagnosis can be confirmed by mycological examination of scales collected by scraping of the lesion or by an adhesive tape.

The objective of this study was to assess the frequency and the clinical features of PV in Iraqi children and to ascertain the diagnostic specificity of direct mycological examination.

Methods: Eighty-two patients were included in the study during a 3-year period.

The inclusion criteria included age less than l5 years, clinical diagnosis compatible with PV, and positive mycological diagnosis.

Mycological examination was done for 82 age and sex matched patients with pityriasis alba or vitiligo as a control group.

Resulis: Children constituted l0.8% of all cases of PV seen in our department during the study period.

The disease occurred mainly among older children, mean age ll.7 years.

There was a slight female predominance.

Family history was positive among 69.5% of the children.

The disease presented mainly during the spring and summer months (70.7%).

The lesions occurred mainly on the face (5l.2%).

The hypopigmented variant was predominant (7l.9%).

The scraping test for fungus was negative in all control cases.

Conclusion: PV occurs rarely among children, but the differential diagnosis of hypopigmented lesions on the face of a child should include this condition.

Direct examination is a quick and easy test to confirm the diagnosis of the disease.