Abstract
BackgroundSkin infections are a common public health problem in developing countries; however, they are rarely managed using a population based approach. Recent data on the burden of skin infections in Timor-Leste are limited. Our survey appears to be the only widespread survey conducted in more than 30 years and was designed to determine the baseline prevalence of some common skin infections in Timor-Leste.MethodsWe conducted a cross sectional survey in 14 sites including community health clinics, schools and hospitals within four different geographical regions. Participants were examined for five conditions (scabies, pyoderma, fungal infections, leprosy and yaws) by a multidisciplinary team. Analyses were conducted using EpiInfo version 6.04d.ResultsWe examined the skin of 1535 participants aged between four months and 97 years. The majority of participants were male, aged between 11 and 20 years and had at least one condition of interest (56.0%, 56.0%, and 63.1%, respectively). Fungal infections were the most common presentation (39.0%) and males were more commonly affected than females (42.3% vs 34.0%, respectively, pvalue < 0.0001).Among those people with more than one condition the two most common co-infections were scabies with either pyoderma or a fungal infection (38.0% and 32.0%, respectively). The survey identified 29 previously undiagnosed cases of leprosy and six cases of yaws.ConclusionsOur findings indicate the need for a comprehensive programme to address these conditions. There are successful disease control programmes in place within the country and it is hoped a healthy skin programme could be integrated into an established disease control programme in order to maximise health benefits and resources.
Highlights
Skin infections are a common public health problem in developing countries; they are rarely managed using a population based approach
Participants were examined by a multidisciplinary team from the Ministry of Health (MoH) and World Health Organization (WHO) in Timor-Leste together with The School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences (SPHTMRS) from James Cook University in north Queensland, Australia
The most commonly identified condition was a fungal infection and males were more commonly affected than females
Summary
Skin infections are a common public health problem in developing countries; they are rarely managed using a population based approach. Skin infections such as pyoderma and ectoparasitic infections are common in developing countries, especially in tropical regions [1] Despite their frequent occurrence, they are often not perceived to be a significant health concern, and with the exception of leprosy, these conditions are rarely addressed using population based disease control programmes. The factors generally thought to explain the high prevalence and incidence of common skin infections in developing countries are poverty related and include: a low level of hygiene, including difficulties accessing water; climatic factors; and overcrowding living conditions [1]. All these factors are present in Timor-Leste. Timor-Leste includes the eastern half of the island, the enclave of Oe-cusse on dos Santos et al BMC Infectious Diseases 2010, 10:61 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/10/61 the northwest portion of the island of Timor, and the islands of Atauro and Jaco
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
