Children in three Georgia grade schools were screened for tinea capitis with filtered ultraviolet light (Wood's light) and culture. All the children through the fifth grade were cultured regardless of their Wood's light status.
A greater percentage of children with nonfluorescent scalps that yielded cultures of Microsporum audouinii (5.0%) was found than children with fluorescent and positive-culture scalps (2.6%).
It is recommended that all children be cultured in tinea capitis control programs and that all culture-positive individuals be treated rather than only those with fluorescent scalps.