Which of the following is a key sign of tinea capitis?

• A. Alopecia areata patches
• B. Redness without inflammation
• C. Brittle hair that breaks near the scalp with inflammation
• D. Dry flakes only

Answer: (C)

Recognizing how tinea capitis presents on the scalp is what this item tests. Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the hair shaft and follicles, and the body's inflammatory response around the affected hairs causes them to become brittle and break off close to the scalp. This combination—hair that breaks near the scalp with visible inflammation or scaling around the follicles—is characteristic of the infection.

This differs from other conditions: alopecia areata causes patchy hair loss with smooth edges and little to no inflammation; redness without inflammation isn’t a typical fungal finding; and dry flakes alone point more to dandruff or seborrheic-type conditions rather than infection of the hair shaft. So the sign described—brittle hair breaking near the scalp with inflammation—best fits tinea capitis.