Tinea Capitis among Iraqi Children: Public Health Implication
476-482
Correspondence
Prof. Dr. Abdul Ghani Mohamed Al Samarai. Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Tikrit University, P O Box 45, Al Yarmouk ST., Tikrit, Iraq. Mobile: 07901755258, 07705871455; e-mail: galsamarrai@yahoo.com
Background: Recent observations on tinea capitis cases in Iraq suggest that there has been a change in the pattern of infection, with a recent and significant rise in the incidence of infection due to anthropophilic dermatophytes.
Objectives:The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence rate and identify factors that might affect the spread of infection of tinea capitis in Iraq.
Patients and Methods: There were 40,384 children from 6 to 16 years of age included in the study. The children were from two different geographical areas.
Results: The prevalence rate of clinically diagnosed tinea capitis was 1.25%, while the mycological prevalence rate was 0.86%. The above difference between clinical and mycological prevalence rates was statistically significant (P < 0.001). In addition, the prevalence rate was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in males (1.08%) as compared to females (0.96%) and in rural areas (2.06%; P < 0.0001) as compared to urban (0.62%) areas. Animal contact and family history of tinea capitis were important risk factors in disease transmission. The prevalence of tinea capitis was 86.3% in age group of 6–10 years (P < 0.0001). The non-inflammatory type of infection was found in 87.5% of cases (P < 0.0001). The frequency of isolation of anthropophilic dermatophytes was reported in 73.3% of cases (P < 0.001). The predominant causative agent was Trichophyton tonsurans (26%), followed by T. verrucosum (25.1%). The isolated species was distributed in urban and rural areas.
Conclusion: This study indicated a shift in the epidemiologic patterns of tinea capitis in Iraq. T. tonsurans was the most prevalent cause of tinea capitis in Iraq. There was a significant role for influence of infection for sex, residence, animal contact, and hair type.