A survey of tinea capitis in primary school children in Harare, Zimbabwe

A survey of the prevalence and appearance of tinea infections and associated dermatophytes in schools in Harare is reported. Of 704 children examined, 29% showed clinical evidence of tinea capitis; of these, 86% had mycological evidence of infection. Dermatophytes were isolated from 69% of all the specimens. The most common was Trichophyton violaceum (78% of the isolates), 9% of the dermatophytes were Microsporum audouinii, and other isolates were T. mentagrophytes, T. yaoundei, M. gypseum and M. canis.