Background and study aim: Tinea.
capitis is an important infective
dermatologic disease of worldwide
distribution among children. Its frequency
is increasing especially in the developing
world, and has become an endemic
disease in some places. To determine the
prevalence, the risk factors, pattern and
clinico - aetiological correlate of Tinea
capitis among the children in Ilie
community.
Patients and Methods: A total of 370
children aged 5 – 16 years; 185 with
Tinea capitis as subjects and 185
relatively healthy children as controls.
Multistage sampling method was
employed, and house to house survey for
Tinea capitis was conducted. The
diagnosis of Tinea capitis was made and
scrapings were obtained for microscopy
and culture.
Results: The mean age was 7.31 + 2.52
years for the subjects and 7.40 + 2.43
years for the controls. The mean age of
onset of T. capitis was 5.2 + 2.039 years.
The prevalence of T. capitis in Ilie
Community was 43.5%. Contact with
animals, soil and individuals with T.
capitis were the prevalent risk factors for
T. capitis. Large family size did
contribute but not significantly to the
spread of Tinea. Also, history of atopy
did correlate but not significantly with
disease chronicity. A total of 120 isolate
representing 7 different dermatophytes
including; T. metangrophytes (67.5%) as
the leading organism were isolated. There
was no case of mixed infection. Other
isolates include T. tonsuran (13.3%), T.
rubrum (10.8%), M. aodounii (2.5%), M.
gypseum (2.5%), T. violaceum (1.7%), T.
soudanence (1.7%). Trichophyton
metangrophytes was the most frequent
organism causing the predominant non –
inflammatory type of T. capitis (Gray
patch and Black dot type) though not
exclusively among children age group 5-8
years and 9-12 years, followed by T.
tonsurans. A bold step must be taken to
effectively reduce contact with the
sources of infection.
Conclusion: Tinea capitis remains an
endemic disease reaching variable
epidemic proportion in some populations
as seen in Ilie among the children. The
non – inflammatory type (GPTC, BDTC)
were the prevalent clinical types of T.
capitis in Ilie.