Agents of Dermatophytosis and Associated Risk Factors Among Primary School Children in Malete, Kwara State
Keywords:
Dermatophytes, Prevalence, Primary school children, Risk factorsAbstract
Dermatophytoses are fungi infections of the skin, hair, and nails commonly known as ringworm or tinea. They have been found to impact negatively on health and well-being of children. This study determined the prevalence, clinical types as well as the etiologic organisms of dermatophyte infection among primary school children aged 4-12 years in Malete community, Kwara State. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 210 children aged 4-12 years in Malete community in Kwara State. Seventy-three samples were collected from Children with clinically suspected lesions. A portion of each sample examined microscopically for fungal elements using Potassium hydroxide (KOH) and the remaining portion was cultured in tubes of Dermatophyte Test Medium containing chloramphenicol, cycloheximideand gentamicin. Dermatophyte isolates were identified by studying macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of their colonies, and differentiation using urea agar base. The prevalence of clinically suspected dermatophytosis lesion was 34.8% (73/210), 26.2% (55/210) showed fungal elements in KOH while 8.6% (18/210) showed no fungal elements. Sixspecies of dermatophytes belonging to only two of the three genera of dermatophytes were responsible for human infection in the area studied, namely Trichophyton mentagrophytes (41.5%) and Trichophyton verrucosum (3.1%). The prevalence of dermatophytosis was higher among males 22.4% (47/210) ages 7-9 years. Tinea capitis was predominant accounted for 73.8% of the cases. This study showed that the prevalence of dermatophytosis in the school studied was significant. Therefore, intensive health promotion and education interventions to promote good hygiene practices among school children is recommended.
References
1. Adefemi, SA, Odeigah, LO, Alabi, KM. Prevalence of dermatophytosis among primary school children in Oke-oyi community of Kwara state. Nigerian J Clin Practice. 2011; 14(1):23–28. Doi.org/10.4103/1119-3077.79235
2. Olaide, OO, Olaniyi, O, Olayinka, AO, Akinlolu, GO, Olumayowa, AO. The prevalence and pattern of superficial fungal infections among school children in Ile-Ife, South Western, Nigeria. Dermatol Res Practice. 2014; 842917:1-7. Doi: 10.1155/2014/842917
3. Gnat S, Łagowski D, Nowakiewicz A, Zi˛eba P. The host range of dermatophytes, it is at all possible? Phenotypic evaluation of the keratinolytic activity of Trichophyton verrucosum clinical isolates. Mycoses. 2019; 62:274–283. Doi: 10:1111/myc.12876. Epub 2019
4. Khurana A, Sardana K, Chowdhary A. Antifungal resistance in dermatophytes: Recent trends and therapeutic implications. Fungal Genet. Biol. 2019; 132: 103-255. Doi: 10.1016/j.fgb.2019.103255. Epub 2019
5. Mercer DK, Stewart CS. Keratin hydrolysis by dermatophytes. Med. Mycol. 2019; 57:13–22. Doi: 10.1093/mmy/myx160
6. Antuori A, Fernández G, Fernández A, Alcaide M, Boada A, Bielsa MI et al. Epidemiology of dermatophytic infections between 2008 and 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Enferm. Infecc. Microbiol. Clin. 2019; 37: 642–647. Doi: 10.1016/j.eimc.2019.02.010
7. Taha M, Elfangary M, Essa, S, Younes A. Species identification of dermatophytes isolated from human superficial fungal infections by conventional and molecular methods. Journal of the Egyptian Women's Dermatologic Society. 2017; 14(2): 76–84. Doi: 10.1097/01.EWX.0000499598.84966.cb
8. Dike-Ndudim, JN, Ukogo I, Dike KO, Okorie HM, Uduji HI, Egbuobi, RC et al. Fungal agents associated with dermatophytosis among pupils in Isu local government area (LGA), Imo State, Nigeria. Inter Res Med Sci. 2013;1(3): 024–029.
9. Alex A, Gebremedhin M, Gizachew A. Prevalence and etiologic agents of dermatophytosis among primary school children in Harari Regional State, Ethiopia. J Mycol. 2016; 3:1- 5.
10. Ezihe MI, Sanusi M, Mohammed B, Rabiu I. Prevalence of dermatophyte infections among public primary school children in Bauchi metropolis of Bauchi State, Nigeria. IJSER. 2017; 8(8): 1268 - 1274.
11. Ogunbiyi AO, Owoaje E, Ndahi A. Prevalence of Skin Disorders in School Children in Ibadan, Nigeria. Paediatric dermatology. 2005; 22(1): 6-10. Doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1470.2005.22101.x
12. Oyedeji OA, Okeniyi JA, Ogunlesi, TA, Onayemi O, Oyedeji GA, Oyelami OA. Parental Factors Influencing the Prevalence of Skin Infections and Infestations among Nigerian Primary School Pupils. The Internet Journal of Dermatology. 2006; 3 (2): 1531-3018. Doi: 10.5580/1db6
13. Sahoo AK, Mahajan R. Management of tinea corporis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis: a comprehensive review. Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016; 7(2):77–86.
14. Mohamed Shalaby MF, Nasr El-din A, Abu El-Hamd M. Isolation, Identification, and In Vitro Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Dermatophytes from Clinical Samples at Sohag University Hospital in Egypt. Electronic Physician. 2016; 8(6): 2557–2567.
15. Rajagopalan M, Inamadar, A, Mittal A. Expert Consensus on the Management of Dermatophytosis in India (ECTODERM India). BMC Dermatology. 2018; 18(1):6.
16. Kannan P, Janaki C, Selvi GS. Prevalence of dermatophytes and other fungal agents isolated from clinical specimens. Indian J Med. Microbiol. 2006; 24 (3):212-215.
17. Woldeamanuel Y, Leekassa R, Chryssanthou E. Clinico-mycological profile of dermatophytosis in a reference centre for leprosy and dermatological diseases in Addis Ababa. Mycopathologia. 2006; 161:167–172.
18. Fentaw S, Gentachew T, Assefa, M. A five-year retrospective study of dermatophytosis and dermatomycoses at the Mycology Referral Laboratory of EHNRI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ciencias Biol. 2010; 41:1–7.
19. Teklebirhan G, Bitew A. Prevalence of dermatophytic infection and the spectrum of dermatophytes in patients attending a Tertiary Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Int J Microbiol. 2015; 653419:1–5.
20. Bitew A. Dermatophytosis: Prevalence of Dermatophytes and Non-Dermatophyte Fungi from Patients Attending Arsho Advanced Medical Laboratory, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Dermatol. Res. Pract. 2018; 8164757:1–6.
21. Hainer BL. Dermatophyte infections. Am Fam Physician. 2003; 67:101-8.
22. Uneke CJ, Ngwu BA, Egemba O. Tinea Capitis and Pityriasis Versicolor Infections among School Children in the South-Eastern Nigeria: The Public Health Implications. Int J Dermatol. 2006; 4:2.
23. Ezeronye OU. Distribution of dermatomycoses in Cross River up-stream bank of Eastern Nigeria. In: Medical Mycology: The African Perspectives. Proceedings of an international conference held at Hartenbosch, South Africa. 2005. Pp 35.
24. Popoola TO, Ojo DA, Alabi RO. Prevalence of dermatophytosis in junior secondary school children in Ogun state, Nigeria. Mycoses. 2006; 49: 499-503. Doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0507.2006.01279.x
25. IIkit MD, Demirhidi H, YetginAtes A, TuracBicer A, Yula E. Asymptomatic Dermatophytes scalp carriage in school children in Adana, Turkey Mycoses. 2007; 50:130–4.
26. Chukwu D, Chukwu OOC, Chuku A, Israel BI, Enweani BI. Dermatophytoses in rural school children associated with livestock keeping in Plateau State, Nigeria. J Yeast Fungal Res. 2011; 2(1): 13-18
27. Aliero AA, Shehu K, Manga SS, Bagudo AI. (2013). Prevalence of dermatophytosis among school children in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Equity J Sci Tech. 2013; 1(1):1-5.
28. Nweze EL. Etiology of dermatophytes in among children in North-eastern Nigeria. Medical mycology. 2001; 39:181-184.
29. Nweze EL, Okafor JI. Prevalence of dermatophytic fungal infection in children: A recent study in Anambra state, Nigeria. Mycopathologia. 2005; 160:239-243. Doi: 10.1007/s11046-005-0124-0
30. Ameh IG, Olkolo R.U. Dermatophytosis among School Children: Domestic Animals as Predisposing Factor in Sokoto, Nigeria. Pak. J. Boil. Sci. 2004; 7: 1109–1112.
31. Akinboro AO, Olasode OA, Onayemi O, Oguntola A, Ajibola AI. Prediction of Dermatophyte Culture by Clinical Features: Saving Time and Cost in Resource-Poor Settings. Ibnosina J. Med. Biomed. Sci. 2013; 5: 189–195. Doi: 10.4103/1947-489X.210544
32. Afolabi OT, Oninla O, Fehintola F. Tinea capitis: A topical disease of hygeinic concern among primary school children in an urban community in Nigeria. J. Public Health Epidemiol. 2018; 10: 313–319. Doi: 10.5897/JPHE
33. Olutoyin, O.O., Onayemi, O, Gabriel. Risk factors associated with acquiring superficial fungal infections in school children in South Western Nigeria: a comparative study. Afr Health Sci.; 17: 22-30. Doi: 10.4314/ahs.v17i2.6
34. Akinboro AO, Olasode OA, Onayemi O. The Pattern, risk factors and clinic-aetiological Correlate of Tinea capitis among the children in a tropical community setting of Osogbo, South West Nigeria. Afro-Egypt J Infect Endem Dis. 2011; 1:53-64.
35. Shehu MM, Bilyaminu R. Incidence of Tinea capitis among school children in Runjin Sambo Area, Sokoto State. J. Zoöl. Biosci. 2014; 1: 37–42
