Tinea barbae
Tinea barbae is a beard infection by the fungi, T. verrucosum or T. mentagrophytes. It causes pustules of the beard and mustache, sometimes with draining pus and crusting and sometimes with inflamed, scaling plaques and broken hairs.
CASES/YEAR
900 (US); 18,000 (Global)
AGENT TYPE
Fungi (Dermatophytes)
OTHER NAMES
Beard infection by T. verrucosum or T. mentagrophytes;
INCUBATION
Usually 10-14 days; [CCDM, p. 173]
INITIAL SYMPTOMS
Pustules of the beard and mustache; Sometimes with draining pus and crusting; Sometimes with inflamed, scaling plaques and broken hairs;
PRECAUTIONS
Standard; "Rare episodes of person-to-person transmission." [CDC 2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions]
COMMENTS
A zoophilic infection often acquired by dairy farmers and cattle ranchers from cows; May also be acquired from infected horses and dogs; Tinea barbae is an inflammatory pustular folliculitis. Fever and regional lymphadenopathy may occur. [ID, p. 1165] An occupational hazard for farmers and animal handlers; The "id" or hypersensitivity reaction has been described in which patients have inflammatory papules or eczema at distant sites (trunk, hands, or feet). [ABX Guide]
DIAGNOSTIC
KOH prep for hyphae and spores; Culture
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
-
>fever
-
H lymphadenopathy
-
S papules or plaques
-
S pustule
-
S rash on palms
ENTRY
Skin or Mucous Membranes (Includes Conjunctiva)
RESERVOIR
Cattle, Goats and Sheep, Dogs, Horses, Human
RISK FACTORS
- Handle domestic animals
- Touch infected farm animals
TREATMENT
See "Tinea capitis."
REFERENCES FOR CASES/YEAR
1. (US) 1/20 X global cases/yr;
2. (Global) Not mentioned in surveillance studies of dermatomycoses in Japan, New Zealand, and Tunisia; Guesstimate: Assume 0.1% of all dermatomycoses; Calculate: Incidence rate in New Zealand in 2000 was 2900 cases/million; 0.001 X 2900 = 3 cases/million; 3 X 300 million = 900 cases/year (US); 3 X 6000 million = 18000 case/year (worldwide);