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Description

An uncommon form of tinea infection is bullous tinea. It is easy to confuse with other blistering skin disorders, with skin biopsy important for its diagnosis.


Clinical features:

(1) presence of vesicles or bullae

(2) clinical signs suggesting a dermatophyte infection may or may not be present

(3) presence of fungal hyphae in skin biopsy

 

More common sites:

(1) tinea pedis

(2) tinea corporis

 

The skin biopsy may show:

(1) blisters are intraepithelial, subepithelial or both

(2) lymphocytes are predominant but neutrophils and/or eosinophils can be seen

(3) fungal stains show hyphae in the stratum corneum, within the bullae or in hair follicles

 

Fungal stains (PAS, GMS) are more sensitive than H&E.


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