Tinea capitis among rural school children of the district of Magude, in Maputo province, Mozambique

Authors: Sidat, Mohsin M.¹; Correia, Della²; Buene, Titos P.³

Source: Mycoses, Volume 49, Number 6, November 2006 , pp. 480-483(4)

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Abstract:

Summary

The study was carried out in two rural primary schools of the District of Magude, the largest district of Maputo Province in 2001. The prevalence of tinea capitis in each school was 11.6% (49/422) and 6.8% (18/263) and affected predominantly male children. The most common dermatophytes isolated from both schools were Microsporum audouinii. However, Trichophyton mentagrophytes was also found to be an important causal agent of tinea capitis in the District of Magude. Although the prevalence of tinea capitis found in our study is relatively high compared to previous cross-sectional studies carried out in Mozambique, it is still closely related to the prevalence rates reported for African countries. Tinea capitis continues to be an important public health issue in Mozambique, particularly in primary school setting.

Keywords: tinea capitis; scalp ringworm; dermatophytosis; schoolchildren; aetiology; District of Magude; Maputo Province; Mozambique

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0507.2006.01290.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Eduardo Mondlane 2: School Health Program, Department of Community Health, Ministry of Health 3: Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique

Publication date: 2006-11-01