Athlete's Foot Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Athlete's Foot, including details on tinea, causes, treatment, prevention.

Tinea capitis among primary school children in some parts of central Nigeria.

Ayanbimpe GM, Taghir H, Diya A, Wapwera S

Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Tinea capitis is the most common superficial mycosis in children of school age. Although it is of public health importance, it is not a reportable or notifiable disease; therefore, actual prevalence figures are unknown in many endemic areas. The aim of this work was to determine the prevalence of tinea capitis among primary school children in two states in central Nigeria, highlighting the main aetiological agents of the infection and possible predisposing factors. A total of 28 505 primary school children aged between 3 and 16 years were recruited for the study, from 12 primary schools in two local government areas of Benue and Plateau States of Nigeria. Of them, 796 had lesions, which were clinically suggestive of tinea capitis out of which 248 (31.2%) were confirmed positive by microscopy and culture. Tinea capitis was more frequent in males, 194 (78.2%) than in females, 54 (21.8%). Children aged 10-14 years, followed by 5-9 years were predominantly infected, with 106 (42.7%) and 100 (40.3%) respectively. There was a significant correlation between age group and occurrence of tinea capitis in the study population at 95% confidence level (P = 0.004). Tinea capitis was significantly more frequent in Jos State (44.6%) than in Gboko State (23.2%) (t = .659; 95% confidence level). The prevalence of tinea capitis was influenced by social and cultural habits of the areas rather than by population density. The aetiological agent of tinea capitis in the study population was Trichophyton soudanense, 76 (30.6%), followed by Microsporum ferrugineum, 19 (7.7%) and Microsporum audouinii, 19 (7.7%). Differences in aetiology were observed for Gboko and Jos, except for T. soudanense, which predominated in both areas. The high prevalence of tinea capitis in the areas studied may be attributed to frequent interaction with soil and animals and low level of health education on personal and environmental hygiene. Aetiological agents varied from one geographical area to another.

Published 21 April 2008 in Mycoses.
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Articles on Athlete's Foot published 21 April 2008:

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Articles on Athlete's Foot published 11 April 2008:

Examining Trichophyton tonsurans genotype and biochemical phenotype as determinants of disease severity in tinea capitis.   Med Mycol, 46(3): 217-23.

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High-frequency intragenomic heterogeneity of the ribosomal DNA intergenic spacer region in Trichophyton violaceum.   Eukaryot Cell, 7(4): 721-6.

The intergenic spacer (IGS) of the rRNA genes was analyzed from the dermatophyte Trichophyton violaceum isolated from cases of tinea capitis in Taiwan and Iran. T. violaceum strains were cultured from different colonies, from single conidial colonies derived by dilution plating, and from micromanipulation of single conidia from clinical samples. A ribosomal DNA probe hybridizing to multiple EcoRI fragments was used to compare restriction fragment length polymorphisms in different T. violaceum ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Athlete's Foot published 1 April 2008:

Terbinafine hydrochloride oral granules versus oral griseofulvin suspension in children with tinea capitis: Results of two randomized, investigator-blinded, multicenter, international, controlled trials.   J Am Acad Dermatol.

BACKGROUND: Although griseofulvin is currently considered the primary antifungal agent used to treat tinea capitis in many countries, increasingly higher doses and longer durations of treatment are becoming necessary to achieve effective treatment. Alternative antifungal therapies with shorter/simpler treatment regimens may be important to develop for this indication. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of a new pediatric formulation of terbinafine hydrochloride oral granules with ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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