Epidemiology of tinea capitis in primary school children in Bouake, Ivory Coast

The objective of this study was to update the epidemiology of tinea capitis in schoolchildren of Bouake city, 16 years later.

From mid-February to mid-April 2017, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in the "TSF-Sud" public primary -school group. All pupils present during the survey period had a clinical examination of the scalp. Hair stumps and scales were collected from children who showed symptoms suggestive of tinea capitis. Samples were exposed to direct microscopic examination using 30% potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution under light microscopy and cultured on Sabouraud's agar medium supplemented with chloramphenicol, and cycloheximide with incubation at 27 °C for at least two weeks. The diagnosis of tinea capitis was made when the direct examination and culture of the samples were positive.

Among the 803 children aged from 5 to 13 years who were clinically examined, 100 (14.5%) were found to have suspected tinea capitis. All sample were positive on direct examination and 70 were positive on cultures, giving an overall prevalence of 8.7%. No significant differences were observed between sexes (p = 1), age groups (p = 0.26), presence of domestic animals at home (p = 0.64) and hair cut at barber or salon (p = 0.21). The prevalence was higher in children who shared a bed (p = 0.001) and those with a history of ringworm (p < 0.001). Trichophyton soudanense (48.5%), Microsporum audouinii (14.3%), Microsporum ferrugineum (14.3%), were the most isolated dermatophytes.

Our study showed a low prevalence of tinea capitis compared to those observed in 2003 in the same region due to improved living conditions.