Dermatophytosis in Western Africa: a review

Dermatophytic fungal infections are one of the most common infectious diseases in the world and are among the most commonly diagnosed skin diseases in Africa. They are caused by several dermatophyte species made up of three genera: Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton. The pathogen spectrum and the clinical manifestations are totally different from those seen in other continents. The hot and humid environment in Africa is probably the major reason for their high prevalence. In this era of rapid movement from one continent to another and the increasing mobility of humans, agents of dermatophytic infections can no longer be said to be restricted within a given geographical area. This implies that an infection contracted in one part of the world may become manifest in another country where the etiological agent is not normally found. Therefore, updating our knowledge of the geographical distribution of the predominant causative agents of dermatophytosis will provide a better understanding of the risk factors and future epidemiologic trends. This review discusses the clinical signs and manifestations of dermatophytoses and attempts to summarize the current epidemiological trends on dermatomycosis of glabrous skin in Western Africa.