The spectrum of genodermatoses and congenital cutaneous conditions in northern Ethiopia

Reports of congenital diseases in Africa are scanty, probably because of their rarity, the lack of knowledge among health workers, and the difficult political and social situation in different African countries. We describe here the spectrum of genetic and rare congenital cutaneous conditions encountered at the Italian Dermatological Center of Ayder referral hospital of Mekele, Ethiopia, over a 3-year period. All patients attending the Italian Dermatological Center were registered in a database, and medical records of genetic and congenital disorders diagnosed from January 2008 to December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Over the total, 24 different genetic and congenital disorders affecting 122 individuals (0.4% of the total case load) were observed. In our case series, we did not report any patient affected by albinism, in contrast with literature from other African countries. To our knowledge, this is the first report from northern Ethiopia. A brief update on the commonest disorders is included.