Ringworm is a common dermatophyte
infection that constitutes an important public heath problem among children
worldwide, including Nigeria (Ive, 1966; Egere and Gugmani 1980; Ajao and
Akintude 1985; Ogbonna et al.,
1986). The disease remains endemic in Nigeria, largely because of lack of
information on its prevalence and the absence of control measures. The present
study revealed that 21.1% of primary school children in Southern Ebonyi of
Ebonyi State, Nigeria were infected by species of superficial dermatophytes.
This finding agree with other reports in Nigeria. However, much
attention has
not been given to ringworm infections of the dermatophytes isolated, M.andoninii
with a prevalence of 20.3% is an anthropophilic species. It occurs manly in
prepubatal children. T. sondanense which was recovered from the schools children
(20.3%) is an endothrix species and behaved to be endemic in Central and West
Africa (Ogbonna et al.1985). M.canis
with a prevalence of 11.9% in the
present study must have originated from the bodies of infected animals. This
fungus is believed to be zoophilic and plausibly originated from cats, dogs,
cow and other animals since people in the area share their residential houses
with domestic animals. Both T. mentagraphytes and T.schoenleini are also antropophilic species and the former
is the most prevalent and it is of great public heath importance. One of the
greatest problems hindering the prevention and eradication of ringworm
infection is the presence of healthy asymptomatic dermatophyte carriers.
Majority of the pupils examined here in showed physical symptoms of infection.
This observation is in line with the reports of Ive (1966) who found that
asymptomatic carriers of dermatophytes may be equal to symptomatic sufferers.
This should keep both parents and teachers at alert so that a adequate
preventive measures would be taken to reduce the rate at which infection
spreads in the schools amongst pupils. The prevalence and distribution of
ringworm infection observed herein (21.1%) is relatively high compared with
either the report of Ajao et al (1985)
amongst children in Ile- Ife, Nigeria (14.02% or those of Omar (2000) in
Alexandria (7.4%) as well as fatini and
Ai-samarai (2000) in Iraq children (2.7%). The difference may be due to
variation in environmental and climatic conditions of the areas studied.
Gender- related studies on the prevalence of ringworm in Nigeria has been
fragmentary (Ogbonna et al.,
1985). Here, more females than males were infected though this was
statistically significant similar to the reports of Omar (2000) in Alexandria.
This finding suggests that the infection is related to personal hygiene and its
prevalence can be reduced by adequate health education and good personal
hygiene practices. Higher prevalence of infection was found amongst children
under the age of 10 years than older ones, suggesting that ringworm is mainly
prepubatal disease. Other researchers, Figueroa (1999) in South Western
Ethiopian, Venugopal and venugopal (1993) in Saudi Arabia,Adder –Hafez (1997)
in johag goveruorate as well as Emar (200) in Alexandrial have subscribe to
this age differential. This can be explained by poorer hygiene at this age as
well as the absence of saturated fatty acids that provide a natural protective
mechanism (Fisher and Cook, 1998).
Poor
infrastructures (houses and classroom) are contributing factors to the high
prevalence of dermatophytes amongst school children in Southern Ebonyi. In the
four rural schools sampled, they lack good accommodation for studying. They sat
on the uncommented floors where side walls are made of palm leaves. Children
contact the infection from the soil (Ogbonna et al, 1985). Mercantini et al, (1980) recorded high frequency of
karetionphilic fungi from floors in Roman primary schools. The playing habits
of these children bring them in constant contact with the soil. The habit of
accompanying their parents to the farm also brings these children in close
contact with the soil. Most pupil examined seldom had regular bath and the
fungal. Spore once deposited on the skin from the soil have ample chance of
germinating and colorizing the skin. Children were being seen playing with
animals such as cow, goat, sheep, cats and local dogs which are known sources
of infection (Faith et al., 2000,
Ogbonna et al., 1986).
Therefore,
the Nigeria environment vis-Ã -vis personal uncleaness are contributing factors
to the high frequency and severity of ringworm infection in Ebonyi State. This
calls for good learning environment and intensive health education of the
school children on personal cleaness. In nature, man and animals could act as
important reservoirs of skin disease. The importance of human and animal
presence in the environment in the sense of direct interaction between human
and animal ‘pressure’ and the presence and the distribution of these fungi.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the
findings of this study, the following recommendations were made.
- Government should establish primary health care centres in the rural area in Ohaozara L.G.A so that infected pupils can be cured.
- There should be constant examination of the pupils for early dictation of ringworm infection and subsequent treatment.
- The parents in the study area should be enlightened on proper control measures against ringworm infection in the study area.
- The species of highest infection rate (T.mentagaphyte) should be adequately tackled to minimize its widespread.
REFERENCES
Abdel -Rahma. F.
(1989) The Biology of
Ringworm . British Medical
Journal 2, 867.
Adamson, H.G. (2001)
Observation on parasites of
ringworm. British Journal
Dermatologist . 8:201-211.
Addel- Hafez, K.
(1997). Clinical and mycological study of Tinea capitis in sohag
governorate. Journal pan – arableague dermatologists, 8: 95- 101.
Ajao, A. O,
Akintinde, C. (1985) Shidies on the prevalence of tinea capitis infections in
Ile – Ife, Nigeria mycopathologia, 89 (1) 43 – 48.
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