Trichophyton rubrum tinea capitis in an HIV-positive patient with generalized dermatophytosis

INTRODUCTION Generalized dermatophytosis, or chronic widespread dermatophytosis, is an uncommon disease most often caused by Trichophyton rubrum in the immunocompromised or chronically ill host. Tinea capitis caused by T rubrum is rare in adult patients and has not, to our knowledge, been described in the HIV/AIDS population. We report the unusual case of a 62-year-old HIV-positive woman with generalized dermatophytosis and tinea capitis caused by T rubrum.