RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Erythrasma is a chronic bacterial infection due to Corynebacterium minutissimum, affecting the interspaces of the toes, the axillary folds and the groin. Its impact is underestimated as it is often misdiagnosed ad wrongly taken as a dermatophytic infection. AIM: Through a hospital series, we report the epidemiologic and clinical features of erythrasma, as well as the therapeutic ways. methods: A retrospective study over a 20 year period and including the patients diagnosed as having erythrasma after a Wood's light examination. results: There were 16 patients (6 males and 10 females) with an average age of 44.6 years-old. The majority of our patients consulted on hot season. Clinical examination showed macular plaques with clear limits, erythematous in 6 cases and yellowish in the remaining cases. The lesions were located at the axillary folds in 13 cases; the groin in 2 cases and at all folds in one case. Treatment with erythromycin (topical or general administration) was the most prescribed. Outcome was generally favourable, but recurrences have been noticed. CONCLUSION: Erythrasma is a frequent misdiagnosed infection and often confused with a mycosis (especially in the interspaces of the toes); knowing that antimycotic agents are efficient in erythrasma. This is probably the reason of the small number of patients in our series.
Asunto(s)
Eritrasma/epidemiología , Adulto , Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Eritrasma/diagnóstico , Eritrasma/terapia , Eritromicina/uso terapéutico , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Examen Físico/métodos , Estudios Retrospectivos , Túnez/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
El eritrasma es una infección superficial de la piel que afecta la capa córnea y es causado por una bacteria grampositiva, Corynebacterium minutissimum. Se presenta como manchas eritematosas a marrón en grandes pliegues y como descamación y maceración en pliegues interdigitales; es asintomática, aunque en algunos casos se acompaña de prurito. El diagnóstico es clínico por luz de Wood que da una fluorescencia rojo coral de las áreas afectadas. Su curso es benigno, aunque persiste si no se da un tratamiento adecuado.
Erythrasma is a superficial skin infection of the stratum corneum caused by a gram-positive bacteria, Corynebacterium minutissimum. It is characterized by reddish-brown areas affecting occluded intertriginous zones such as axillae, inframammary folds, and as irregular scaly patches or macerated lesions on toeweb spaces. It is asymptomatic, though sometimes accompanied by pruritus. Clinical diagnosis is supported by a red fluorescence under Wood s light examination. It is benign, yet persistent if not adequately treated.