Nutritional Deficiencies and Tinea Capitis Risk
IN CHILDREN, deficiencies in zinc and vitamin D independently increased tinea capitis risk and lowered 8-week clinical cure rates.
Tinea capitis remains a common pediatric fungal infection, yet contributors to disease susceptibility and treatment response are not fully defined. In a prospective clinical cohort study of 280 children aged 2–12 years, investigators compared 140 confirmed tinea capitis cases with 140 matched controls recruited from three clinical locations. Nutritional evaluation included growth measures and laboratory testing for zinc, iron, vitamin D, and markers of protein-energy status. Cases received standard antifungal treatment and were followed for 6 months to assess outcomes, with multivariate analyses used to examine relationships between nutritional status, disease features, and response.
After adjustment for other variables, zinc deficiency was independently associated with incident tinea capitis (OR 2.87; 95% CI: 1.71–4.84; p<0.001). Vitamin D deficiency also independently increased risk (OR 2.11; 95% CI: 1.25–3.58; p=0.005), supporting a measurable link between selected micronutrient deficits and infection occurrence.
Treatment Response Was Lower with Multiple Deficiencies
Clinical severity and treatment outcomes were poorer in children with multiple nutritional deficiencies. At 8 weeks, the clinical cure rate among children with nutritional deficiencies was 44.2%, compared with 71.4% among those without deficiencies (p<0.001). The authors also reported that the relationship between treatment response and socioeconomic status was significantly influenced by nutritional status, suggesting that nutrition may help explain variability in real-world outcomes across settings.
Implications for Pediatric Dermatology Care
These findings position low micronutrient levels, particularly zinc and vitamin D deficiency, as potential risk factors for both developing tinea capitis and experiencing reduced treatment response. The authors suggested that integrated nutritional assessment and targeted supplementation strategies could be beneficial, though they emphasized the need for future interventional trials to test whether correcting deficiencies improves outcomes, especially in resource-limited settings.
Reference: Seetan K et al. Nutritional deficiencies as risk factors for incidence and treatment response of tinea capitis in children: a prospective clinical cohort study. Postgrad Med. 2025;doi:10.1080/00325481.2025.2609382.
