Dermatophytosis among Schoolchildren in Three Eco-climatic Zones of Mali.

Oumar Coulibaly,Abdoulaye A Djimdé,Safiatou Niaré-Doumbo,Jean Gaudart,Stéphane Ranque,Mahamadou A Thera,Ogobara K Doumbo,Renaud Piarroux,Siaka Goïta,Abdoulaye K Kone

doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0004675

Abstract

BackgroundDermatophytosis, and particularly the subtype tinea capitis, is common among African children; however, the risk factors associated with this condition are poorly understood. To describe the epidemiology of dermatophytosis in distinct eco-climatic zones, three cross-sectional surveys were conducted in public primary schools located in the Sahelian, Sudanian and Sudano-Guinean eco-climatic zones in Mali.Principal FindingsAmong 590 children (average age 9.7 years) the overall clinical prevalence of tinea capitis was 39.3%. Tinea capitis prevalence was 59.5% in the Sudano-Guinean zone, 41.6% in the Sudanian zone and 17% in the Sahelian eco-climatic zone. Microsporum audouinii was isolated primarily from large and/or microsporic lesions. Trichophyton soudanense was primarily isolated from trichophytic lesions. Based on the multivariate analysis, tinea capitis was independently associated with male gender (OR = 2.51, 95%CI [1.74–3.61], P<10−4) and residing in the Sudano-Guinean eco-climatic zone (OR = 7.45, 95%CI [4.63–11.99], P<10−4). Two anthropophilic dermatophytes species, Trichophyton soudanense and Microsporum audouinii, were the most frequent species associated with tinea capitis among primary schoolchildren in Mali.ConclusionsTinea capitis risk increased with increasing climate humidity in this relatively homogenous schoolchild population in Mali, which suggests a significant role of climatic factors in the epidemiology of dermatophytosis.

Highlights

Dermatophytosis represents one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide and causes serious chronic morbidity [1]
Dermatophytosis, and the subtype tinea capitis, is common among African children; the risk factors associated with this condition are poorly understood
Tinea capitis risk increased with increasing climate humidity in this relatively homogenous schoolchild population in Mali, which suggests a significant role of climatic factors in the epidemiology of dermatophytosis

Summary

Introduction

Dermatophytosis represents one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide and causes serious chronic morbidity [1]. Tinea capitis represents a major public health issue among children in developing countries. This dermatophytosis of the scalp and hair shafts is almost exclusively a childhood disease, and evidence suggests that it occurs more often in children of African or Caribbean origin [1]. The current study aimed to assess the prevalence, risk factors and etiological agents of tinea capitis, the most frequent dermatophytosis subtype, among primary schoolchildren in three eco-climatic zones in Mali. Dermatophytosis, and the subtype tinea capitis, is common among African children; the risk factors associated with this condition are poorly understood. To describe the epidemiology of dermatophytosis in distinct eco-climatic zones, three crosssectional surveys were conducted in public primary schools located in the Sahelian, Sudanian and Sudano-Guinean eco-climatic zones in Mali.

Methods

Results

Conclusion