Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-kw2vx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-22T10:02:40.589Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Nosocomial Transmission of Trichophyton tonsurans Tinea Corporis in a Rehabilitation Hospital

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Steven M. Lewis  and
Barbara G. Lewis
Steven M. Lewis*
Affiliation:
Infection Control Department, Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital and Clinics, Wheaton, Illinois
Barbara G. Lewis
Affiliation:
Infection Control Department, Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital and Clinics, Wheaton, Illinois
*
1725 South St, Geneva, IL 60134
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

Investigate the nosocomial transmission of Trichophyton tonsurans tinea corporis.

Design:

Descriptive study of a nosocomial epidemic of tinea corporis.

Setting:

A free-standing inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Participants:

Patients and healthcare workers present on an inpatient rehabilitation ward at the time of transmission of tinea corporis.

Results:

T tonsurans tinea corporis was transmitted from one patient to four healthcare workers despite early diagnosis and treatment. Infection rates for healthcare workers having major, moderate, and minor contact with the index case were 30%, 17%, and 0%, respectively (overall rate, 25%).

Conclusions:

This study identifies rehabilitation inpatients as another population in which nosocomial transmission of T tonsurans tinea corporis can occur. The high attack rate and transmission, despite early diagnosis and treatment, emphasizes the need for isolation precautions.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 18 , Issue 5 , May 1997 , pp. 322 - 325
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1997

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Prevost, E. Nonflourescent tinea capitis in Charleston, SC. JAMA 1979;242:1765–1767.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. Ravits, MS, Himmelstein, R. Tinea capitis in the New York City area. Arch Dermatol 1983;119:532–533.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Sharma, V, Hall, JC, Knapp, JF, Sumandeep, S, Galloway, D, Babel, DE. Scalp colonization by Trichophyton tonsurans in an urban pediatric clinic. Arch Dermatol 1988;124:1511–1513.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4. Babel, DE, Baughman, SA. Evaluation of the adult carrier state in juvenile tinea capitis caused by Trichophyton tonsurans . J Am Acad Dermatol 1989;21:1209–1212.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Kligman, AM, Constant, ER. Family epidemic of tinea capitis due to Trichophyton tonsurans (variety sulfureum) . Arch Dermatol 1951;63:493–499.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Mackenzie, DWR, Burrows, D, Walby, AL. Trichophyton sulphureum in a residential school. Br Med J 1960;2:1055–1058.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Snowden, MS, Loder, L, Alexander, WJ. Infectious alopecia in a child day-care center. JAMA 1985;254:3038.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8. Stiller, MJ, Klein, WP, Dorman, RI, Rosenthal, S. Tinea corporis gladitorium: an epidemic of Trichophyton tonsurans in student wrestlers. J Am Acad Dermatol 1992;27:632–633.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Bronson, DM, Desai, DR, Barsky, S, Folley, SM. An epidemic of infection with Trichophyton tonsurans revealed in a 20-year survey of fungal infections in Chicago. J Am Acad Dermatol 1983;8:322–330.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10. Kane, J, Leavitt, E, Summerbell, RC, Krajden, S, Kasatiya, SS. An outbreak of Trichophyton tonsurans dermatophytosis in a chronic care institution for the elderly. Eur J Epidemiol 1988;4:144–149.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. Arnow, PM, Houchins, SG, Pugliese, G. An outbreak of tinea corporis in hospital personnel caused by a patient with Trichophyton tonsurans infection. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1991;10:355–359.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12. Hakendorf, AJ. An outbreak of Trichophyton rubrum infection in South Australia. Australas J Dermatol 1952;1:208–212.Google Scholar
13. Peachey, RDG, English, MP. An outbreak of Trichophyton rubrum infection in a geriatric hospital. Br J Dermatol 1974;91:389–397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14. Shah, PC, Kradjen, S, Kane, J, Summerbell, RC. Tinea corporis caused by Microsporum canis: report of a nosocomial outbreak. Eur J Epidemiol 1988;4:33–38.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Rodriguez-Contreras, PR, Delgado, FV, Ayudarte, MD, Cueto, EA, Galvez, VR. Nosocomial infections with Microsporum canis . J Hosp Infect 1987;9:201–202.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16. Garner, JS, Simmons, BP. CDC guideline for isolation precautions in hospitals. Infect Control 1983;4:245–325.Google ScholarPubMed
17. Garner, JS, the Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. Guideline for isolation precautions in hospitals.Google Scholar