Abstract: Objective To investigate the trend and distribution of the pathogens of tinea capitis in eastern China.Methods A total of 946 patients of tinea capitis diagnosed at the Mycology laboratory,Department of Dermatology of our Hospital,from January 1993 to December 2010 were retrospectively analysed.Results During an 18-year period,a total of 946 patients with tinea capitis were diagnosed,including 410 males and 536 female,from 20 days to 93 years old.Of the 784 culture-proven tinea capitis,there were 473 cases of gray patch type tinea capitis(60.3%),216 cases of black dot type tinea capitis(27.6%),94 cases of kerion(12.0%) and only one case of tinea favosa(0.1%).The most common pathogenic fungi was Microsporum canis(470,59.9%),followed by Trichophyton violaceum(154,19.6%) and Trichophyton tonsurans(81,10.3%).Many of the patients with culture-proven Anthropophilic dermatophytes(Trichophyton violaceum in 32 cases,Trichophyton tonsurans in 12 cases and Trichophyton rubrum in 8 cases)hadhistory of intimate contact with variable kinds of animals,mostly cats and dogs.The incidence of tinea capitis reached a peak in 2001 and declined thereafter,however,10 years later,another peak occurred in 2010.Conclusions The most common type of tinea capitis in eastern China is tinea blanca and the main pathogenic fungus is Microsporum canis.Many of the tinea capitis patients with culture-proven anthropophilic dermatophyteshadhistory of intimate contact with variable kinds of animals.The latter observation may imply a reverse zoonosis phenomenon.The occurrence of a new peak of incidence suggests reemergence of the tinea capitis.

Key words: tinea capitis, dermatophytes, pathogenic fungus analysis, reverse zoonosis