Peer-reviewed article
S6.2d Dermatophytosis due to Trichophyton erinacei caused by contact with African hedgehogs as family pets
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Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This medical case series describes 16 instances of ringworm infection in children and adolescents caused by a fungus (Trichophyton erinacei) transmitted through contact with African hedgehogs kept as pets. The infections primarily affected the hands and were treated successfully with antifungal medication. The study illustrates how changing pet ownership trends can introduce new infectious agents to human populations.
Key points
- 16 confirmed cases over 3.5 years, predominantly in females (72%), average age 18.2 years
- Tinea manus was the most common presentation (68.7% of cases)
- All cases achieved clinical and mycological cure with terbinafine treatment
- African hedgehogs carry T. erinacei as part of their normal skin microbiota
- The fungus causes unusually inflammatory infections due to poor human immune recognition and deep inoculation through hedgehog quills
Limitations
This is a descriptive case series without a control group, focusing on clinical presentation and treatment outcomes rather than epidemiology or prevention. The document does not examine risk factors, prevention strategies, or long-term outcomes beyond clinical cure.
Abstract
Abstract S6.2 Resurgence of dermatophytic infections, September 22, 2022, 4:45 PM - 6:15 PM Objective To present a series of cases of various types of dermatophytosis caused by Trichophyton erinacei, caused by contact with African hedgehogs. Methods Patients with clinical suspicion of ringworm caused by T. erinacei were included in the study. Each patient underwent a mycological study, with direct examinations (KOH), cultures in Sabouraud dextrose agar medium with and without antibiotics. With the cultures obtained, molecular identification was made using the PCR technique and Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) proteomics. Once confirmed, the patients were given treatment and follow-up. When the pets (hedgehogs) were accessible, they were cultured with a cytobrush and the quills removed. Results In a period of 3.5 years, 16 verified cases were incorporated, 13 were females (72%) and 3 males (18%), the average age was 18.2 years, with the smallest case being 8 years old and the oldest 45 years old. The tineas manifested as follows: tinea manus 11 cases (68.7%); 2 respective cases of tinea corporis and tinea capitis (18.1 respectively) and one case of Majocchi's granuloma. The average evolution was 1.5 months with the case older than 3 months and the younger 15 days. All cases were given terbinafine at variable times and doses (according to weight and age) and clinical and mycological cure was obtained. Discussion Tineas can have epidemiological changes that are favored by a variety of factors, in general, pet ringworms are due to common domestic animals such as dogs and cats. Due to changing fashions, children and adolescents in recent years have changed pets such as hamsters, and recently hedgehogs, especially African variety (Atelerix albiventris) the latter may have T. erinacei as part of their skin microbiota, a similar dermatophyte or that was part of the T. mentagrophyes complex, in general of low virulence, however, its antigenic variants are little recognized by humans, which makes them present in a very inflammatory form, particularly in the hands, due to the handling of the animal, as well as the deeper inoculation (in the dermis) by the spikes left by the inoculum. So, they can generate deep tineas such as Majocchi's granuloma. In general, they respond well to systemic antifungals such as terbinafine and itraconazole, and sometimes the use of topical or systemic steroids is necessary. Conclusions This series of cases is a good example of how a change of habits when having pets can introduce new etiological agents that are poorly recognized antigenically, which give rise to more inflammatory and sometimes profound tineas.