TINEA FLAVA 



2073 



than the surrounding skin, and presents a smooth, tense surface at 

 first; they increase in size slowly, and some coalesce. After a 

 certain time the surface of the patches is no longer tense ; it becomes 

 somewhat shrivelled and dry; superficial cracks appear in it, so 

 that white lines are visible intersecting the brown surface. Later 

 the cracks become deeper, the epidermis splits, and several flaky, 

 curled-up scales, whitish inside and dark on the outer surface, are 

 seen; the scales are often removed by friction, and whitish roundish 

 patches only remain. The eruption never develops in concentric 

 rings like tinea imbricata; the patches remain isolated or fuse to- 

 gether, forming irregular larger patches. Some patches may disap- 

 pear spontaneously after a time. The general health of the patient 

 does not seem to be affected. In some patients there is a shght 

 degree of eosinophilia. 



Diagnosis. — ^When the eruption is in the very first stage it might 

 be mistaken for a form of pityriasis versicolor. In pityriasis versi- 

 color, however, the epidermis does not split; moreover, in tinea 

 intersecta the fungus is not found on the surface: it grows between 

 the superficial and deep layers of the epidermis. Tinea imbricata 

 begins in a manner somewhat similar to tinea intersecta, dark 

 brownish patches being present, and the fungus in both eruptions 

 growing between the superficial and deep layers of the epidermis. 

 In contrast to tinea 

 imbricata, however, 

 the eruption of tinea 

 intersecta never de- 

 velops in concentric 

 rings ; is far less severe, 

 as patches may heal 

 spontaneously; and is 

 cured without much 

 difficulty. 



Treatment. — Tinc- 

 ture of iodine and the 

 usual antiseptic oint- 

 ments, such as chrysa- 

 robin (2 to 5 per cent.), 

 answer well. 



TINEA FLAVA 



{vide Plate XIL). 



Synonyms. — Trop- 

 ical Pityriasis Ver- 

 sicolor of the old 

 authors. Microsporosis Flava (Castellani), Achromie Parasitaire 

 (Jeanselme), Pityriasis Versicolor Flava (Castellani), Achromia 

 Squamosa (Crocker). 1 



Fig. 821. — Fungus of Tinea Flava ^Old Case). 



(From a specimen stained by the Morris- 

 Walker method.) 



