Pityriasis versicolor in infants: unusual clinical presentation and role of corticosteroids used as depigmenting agent for cosmetic purposes in the mother

• Published in: The Pan African medical journal Vol. 26; p. 31
• Main Authors: Dioussé, Pauline, Ly, Fatimata, Bammo, Mariama, Lizia, Sarah, Diallo, Thierno Abdoul Aziz, Dione, Haby, Sarr, Fatou, Gueye, Ramatoulaye Diagne, Gueye, Amadou Mactar, Dieng, Mame Thierno, Diop, Bernard Marcel, Ka, Mamadou Mourtalla
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; French
• Published: Uganda 2017
• Subjects: Antifungal Agents - therapeutic use; Female; Glucocorticoids - administration & dosage; Glucocorticoids - adverse effects; Humans; Hydroquinones - administration & dosage; Infant; Ketoconazole - therapeutic use; Male; Mothers; Tinea Versicolor - diagnosis; Tinea Versicolor - etiology; Tinea Versicolor - pathology; Pityriasis versicolor; infant; lower limbs; dermocorticoids
• ISSN: 1937-8688
• DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2017.26.31.11504

We report two cases of Pityriasis versicolor (PV) in infants aged 12 and 18 months. The latter were brought to medical attention because of hypochromic and achromic, round macules involving the limbs and the face. Physical examination of their mothers showed voluntary depigmentation for cosmetic purposes due to the use of corticosteroids and hydroquinone, on average, over a 5-year period. The scotch tape test performed in one of the infants and his mother showed short filaments and clusters of spores. Treatment was based on ketoconazole. After 8 weeks, all patients reported favorable outcomes despite the persistence of some hypochomic macules. The peculiarities of this study are, on the one hand the topography of the lower limbs and on the other hand a positive family history of PV whose occurrence is favored by the use of depigmenting agents based on corticosteroids. Corticosteroids favor the atrophic and achromic feature of the lesions. Indeed, achromic lesions on the lower limbs were described in adults undergoing artificial depigmentation.