Tinea cruris

Background

• Dermatophyte infection involving the crural fold
• Colloquially known as 'jock itch'
• Most commonly caused by Tinea rubrum
• More common in men than women
• May result from the spread of other concurrent tinea infections
• More common in obese, diabetics, and immunodeficient

Clinical Features

Tinea cruris

• Begins with an erythematous patch on the proximal medial thigh
• Inward spread with partial central clearing
• Sharply demarcated border, erythematous, elevated
• May spread to perineum, perianally, onto buttocks, or into gluteal cleft
• Typically spares the scrotum

Differential Diagnosis

• Erythrasma (Coral red fluorescence with Wood's lamp)
• Seborrheic dermatitis
• Candidal intertrigo (Erythematous patches with satellite lesions)
• Inverse psoriasis

Diagnosis

• Typically a clinical diagnosis
• Scraped skin from affected area in KOH prep will show segmented hyphae

Management

• Topical antifungals: Clotrimazole, terbinafine
• Tx to reduce symptoms, prevent secondary bacterial infection, and limit spread
• Systemic antifungals reserved for patients who fail topical therapy
• Systemic antifungals that can be used include: terbinafine, itraconazole, and fluconazole

See Also

• Tinea

References

UpToDate, Tinitnalli's