Favus (Latin for "honeycomb") or tinea favosa is the severe form of tinea capitis, a skin infectious disease caused by the dermatophyte fungus Trichophyton schoenleinii. Typically the species affects the scalp, but occasionally occurs as onychomycosis, tinea barbae, or tinea corporis. The word favid is more used than French word favus, which is close to the Latin etymology. Presentation
The uncomplicated appearance is that of a number of yellowish, circular, cup-shaped crusts (scutulum or shield) grouped in patches like a honeycomb, each crust about the size of a split pea, with a bundle of hair projecting in the center. These increase in size and become crusted over, so that the characteristic lesion can only be seen round the edge of the scab. A mousy odour is often present. Growth continues to take place for several months, when scab and scutulum go away, leaving a shining bare patch destitute of hair. The disease is essentially chronic, lasting from ten to twenty years. It is caused by the growth of a fungus, and pathologically is the reaction of the tissues to the growth.The fungus was named after a microscopic structure termed "achorion" (a term not used in modern science), seen in scrapings of infected skin, which consists of slender, mycelial threads matted together, bearing oval, nucleated fungal substrate-arthroconidia either free or jointed. This structure is currently called "scutula." The fungus itself is now called Trichophyton schoenleinii.
Treatment
Up until the advent of modern therapies, favus was widespread worldwide; prior to Schönleins recognition of it as a fungal disease, it was frequently confused with Hansens disease, better known as leprosy, and affected Europeans were sometimes committed to leprosaria. Today, due to this species high susceptibility to the antifungal drug griseofulvin, it has been eliminated from most parts of the world except rural central Asia and scattered rural areas of Africa. It is mainly a disease connected to demographic poverty and isolation, but is so readily treatable that it is among the diseases most likely to be eliminated by modern medicine. References

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Favus". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 10 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 215. Kane, J., R.C. Summerbell, L. Sigler, S. Krajden, G. Land. 1997. Laboratory Handbook of Dermatophytes: A clinical guide and laboratory manual of dermatophytes and other filamentous fungi from skin, hair and nails. Star Publishers, Belmont, CA. Gräser Y, Kuijpers AF, Presber W, De Hoog GS (October 1999). "Molecular taxonomy of Trichophyton mentagrophytes and T. tonsurans". Med. Mycol. 37 (5 Cpages=315–30): 315–30. doi:10.1046/j.1365-280x.1999.00234.x. PMID 10520156. == External links ==