Abstract

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Dermatophytes, the aetiological factor of Tinea capitis are pathogens causing infections of various courses. Limited studies of Tinea capitis have been carried out in Nigeria. This study therefore is aimed at determining the risk factors associated with this infection in Ado-odo Ota (Ogun State), Somolu, (Lagos State) and Oye-Ekiti, (Ekiti State). Scalp lesions of 102 primary school children were aseptically collected, after which questionnaires were used to collect their bio/socio-demographic data. The samples were analysed using microscopic, cultural, biochemical and molecular techniques, while the data was statistically analysed. In a total of one hundred and two (102) children aged between 1-14 years consisting of 73 (71.6 %) males and 29 (28.4%) females, 75 (73.5 %) were infected with dermatophytes. The dermatophytes consist of 29.3% Trichophyton, 65.3% Microsporum and 5.3 % Epidermophyton. Blasting of the sequenced Intraspacial (‘ITS’) genes confirmed the presence of the isolates. Males were most affected with socio-economic factors such as employment status of the parents, influencing infections (P<0.001). Other factors that facilitated transmission include: knowledge of mode of transmission, sharing of combs and towels, place of hair shaving-barbing, and age (5-10 most vulnerable, 4 and 11-14 less vulnerable). Number of children in the family and school location were discovered not to be risk factors. Health education is paramount in eradicating this infection, hence the introduction of hygiene policy into educational curricular, will ultimately help to reduce the menace of Tinea capitis

Keywords: Tinea capitis, Dermatophytes, ‘ITS’ genes, Blasting, Molecular techniques