AI Article Synopsis

  • Tinea capitis is a fungal infection common in children, and this study aimed to determine its prevalence among schoolchildren in Lomé, Togo, along with identifying the fungi involved and the related risk factors.
  • A cross-sectional study was conducted with 15,087 pupils, revealing a prevalence of 3.08% for tinea capitis, primarily caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes.
  • The research identified risk factors such as living with pets, infrequent bathing, previous ringworm infections, sharing hygiene items, and having similar lesions in the same household, indicating a need for targeted preventive measures.

Article Abstract

Background: Tinea capitis is an infectious dermatosis frequent in children, causative fungi variable over time and space. The risk factors associated with this disease are still poorly understood. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of tinea capitis among schoolchildren in Lomé (Togo), identify the fungal species involved and assess the associated risk factors.

Patients And Methods: It was a cross-sectional and case-control study conducted in primary schools in Lomé from November 2020 to April 2021. All pupils presenting tinea capitis suspected lesions have been sampled, and the scraping and hair were examined by direct microscopy in KOH solution and cultured in Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol and cycloheximide. Positive children were matched by age and sex with those without symptoms for case-control study.

Results: Out of the 15,087 pupils enrolled, 465 had positive cultures for dermatophytes, corresponding to the tinea capitis prevalence of 3.08% (95% CI [2.59-3.57]). Trichophyton mentagrophytes (81.86%) and Trichophyton soudanense (13.12%) were the majors isolated dermatophytes. The risk factors were mostly living in households with domestic animals, showering less than twice a day, having a history of ringworm, having similar lesions in the same household and sharing personal hygiene items.

Conclusion: This study highlights the low prevalence of tinea capitis in schoolchildren in Lomé (Togo), the causative species dominated by T. mentagrophytes and emphasises the importance of environmental and behavioural factors in the mycosis transmission. Implementing preventive measures addressing the identified factors could help to reduce the prevalence of this disease.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/myc.13808DOI Listing

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