SEVERE TINEA BARBAE DUE TO TRICHOPHYTON VERRUCOSUM INFECTION IN DAIRYFARMERS

Trichophyton verrucosum infection, which is acquired from the hide of dairy cattle, is the cause of tinea barbae, a severe pustular eruption on the face and neck, We present the cases of five patients, three of whom had severe pustular tinea barbae and two of whom had eruptions o f the forearms, All five patients were dairy farmers. On physical exam ination, ail five patients were afebrile and did not appear toxic. Per ipheral leukocyte counts for the three patients with pustular tinea ba rbae were normal. Gram stain and bacterial cultures of the draining pu stules were negative in all three cases, Potassium hydroxide preparati on showed hyphae, and cultures yielded T. verrucosum in all three case s, Four patients received therapy with fluconazole, and one received t herapy with griseofulvin; in all cases, the lesions healed, T. verruco sum can cause pustular tinea barbae in farmers that may be mistaken fo r a Staphylococcus aureus infection by clinicians, including infectiou s disease experts, The answer to a simple question, ''Are you a dairy farmer?'', may suggest the diagnosis of T. verrucosum in the proper cl inical setting.