Tinea incognito is a kind of skin infection that is caused by a fungus which has been changed by the use of topical or systemic steroids or other immunosuppressive medications. This alteration in the typical clinical presentation of the infection makes it difficult to diagnose for general practitioners and dermatologists. Delayed diagnosis, spread of the infection to critical body surfaces, resistance to antifungal drugs, and increased costs due to prolonged hospitalization and multiple treatment regimens often complicate tinea incognito. This condition can affect individuals of all ages and genders, but it is more common in children. Tinea incognito is a type of fungal skin infection that can present with various and non-specific clinical features, such as sudden onset of itching in an area that was previously unaffected, making it challenging to differentiate from other diseases such as eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, or other non-fungal skin conditions. The treatment of tinea incognito usually involves stopping the use of topical steroids or other immunosuppressive medications. Preventive measures and management of the underlying fungal infection are necessary and can be achieved with antifungal drugs. Patients should wear loose cotton clothes, use boiling water for laundry, and iron their clothing before wearing them. Additionally, they should avoid sharing bed linens, towels, clothes, and shoes. This review aims to raise awareness of tinea incognito among health practitioners, provide tips for suspecting the disorder, include it in the differentials, and evaluate the available diagnostic procedures. The therapy utilized in published studies is also reviewed.

While typically exhibiting characteristic features, fungal infections can sometimes present in an unusual context, having improbable localization (eyelid, face, joint), mimicking other skin diseases such as eczema, psoriasis, or mycosis fungoides, and appearing with unexpected color, shape, or distribution. The emergence of such a challenging clinical pictures is attributed to complex interplay of host characteristics (hygiene, aging population), environment (climate change), advances in medical procedures, and agent factors (fungal resistance, species emergence). We aim to provide a better understanding of unusual epidemiological contexts and atypical manifestations of fungal superficial diseases, knowing that there is no pre-established clinical guide for these conditions.

Background: Dermatophytosis, commonly known as tinea, poses a significant public health concern worldwide, especially in environments with poor hygiene and overcrowding, such as prisons. Despite its prevalence and impact on quality of life, there is a lack of research on the knowledge and hygiene practices regarding dermatophytosis among prisoners, particularly in Nepal. Objective: The study aimed to assess prisoners' knowledge, hygiene practice and infection status regarding dermatophytosis in Central Prison, Nepal. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study with a sample size of 184 respondents was designed to collect data using a validated pre-tested questionnaire from September 2023 to January 2024. The collected data was then analysed using IBM SPSS version 21. Knowledge and hygiene practices were measured on an eight and 11-point scale and rated as poor (≤4) and sound (>4), bad (≤6), and good (>6), respectively. Summary data were presented by descriptive, while Chi-square and logistic regression were used for inferential statistics at P < 0.05. Results: The findings revealed moderate knowledge among prisoners regarding dermatophytosis, with significant gaps in understanding its spread and prevention. While most prisoners recognised the importance of treatment, there were misconceptions about the inevitability of contracting dermatophytosis and the role of personal hygiene. Conclusions: Despite good knowledge levels, adherence to recommended hygiene practices was suboptimal, highlighting the need for targeted interventions. The study underscores the importance of addressing knowledge gaps, changing attitudes, and promoting hygienic practices to mitigate the burden of dermatophytosis among prisoners.

Introduction: Scalp ringworms or Tinea capitis are ubiquitous superficial fungal infections of the scalp and hair. They represent the most common dermatophytic in the world. They reach almost exclusively pre-pubescent children and mainly school-aged children. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of tinea capitis and its associated factors among residents of koranic schools located in the Thiès region of Senegal. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2019 to March 2020. School children living in Thiès region (Central part of Senegal) were included in this study. Socio-demographic, clinical and biological data were collected standard questionary. Samples collected were examined directly and developed on a medium of Sabouraud-Chloramphenicol and Sabouraud-Chloramphenicol-Actidione. A descriptive analysis was done with the Stata MP. Risk factors were assessed by multivariate survey logistic regression models. Significance level of the different tests was 0.05 two-sided. Results: A total of 110 children were included in this study. The mean age was 9 years and the population was predominantly male (96.4%). The average number of residents in Koranic schools was 112. The prevalence of scalp ringworms was 68.2% [(75/110) (95% CI: 53.6 – 85.5)]. The fungal species found were Trichophyton soudanense (93.4%), Microsporum audouinii (2.7%). Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Trichophyton violaceum were found with each (1.3%). Parasitism was endothrix-like in 86.7%. Children over 10 years old were more affected (72.9%), OR =2,16, CI (0,48 - 9,69). The rate of positivity was higher in children with small plaques (72.7%). Children with irregular-edged plaques were most affected (76.5%), Prevalence was higher among children who slept at more than 3 per mattress (79.1%), OR=1.82 (95% CI: 1.08 – 3.04). Conclusion: These results showed that Tinea capitis are frequent in children living in community. Trichophyton soudanense is the main fungal specie identified. Better knowledge of the epidemiology of these diseases and improved living conditions for children in Koranic schools could help improve patient management.