Risk Factors and Family Medicine Management of Tinea Corporis in a Resident of a Densely Populated Settlement in Makassar, Indonesia: A Case Report

Abstract

Tinea corporis is a superficial dermatophyte infection that remains clinically important in tropical and densely populated settings where heat, humidity, poor ventilation, and close interpersonal contact facilitate transmission. This case report describes the clinical and family medicine assessment of a 29-year-old male mechanic living in a densely populated settlement in Makassar, Indonesia. The patient presented with pruritus on the back and right arm for one week, worsening during sweating. He had no fever, respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal complaints, diabetes mellitus, or history of immunosuppressive disease. The patient lived with his wife and children in a lower-middle socioeconomic household with inadequate ventilation and suboptimal hygiene practices. Physical examination showed a mildly ill but alert patient, normal nutritional status, blood pressure of 129/79 mmHg, pulse rate of 102 beats/minute, respiratory rate of 21 breaths/minute, and temperature of 36.2°C. The diagnosis of tinea corporis was made clinically; no potassium hydroxide microscopy or fungal culture was documented. Management consisted of topical terbinafine cream for two weeks, avoidance of shared personal items, changing clothes after sweating, and education on personal hygiene and early health-service utilization. This case highlights the need to integrate dermatological care with environmental and behavioral risk modification in crowded communities.