Fungal skin infections among prison inmates in Abakaliki, Nigeria

Abstract

SummaryOf 402 prison inmates screened for fungal skin lesions, 79 (19.7%) showed skin lesions, which proved mycologically positive by microscopy and culture. Dermatophytes were responsible for skin lesions in 61 (77.2%) of the inmates, while non-dermatophytes accounted for 18 (22.8%) of the lesions. The dermatophytes recovered were mostly anthropophilic and included Trichophyton rubrum 33 (41.8%); T. mentagrophytes var. interdigitale 3 (3.8%); T. tonsurans 3 (3.8%); T. violaceum 2 (2.5%); Epidermophyton floccosum 10 (12.7%). A zoophilic dermatophyte, Microsporum canis, was recovered from 10 (12.7%) cases. The non-dermatophytes were Candida albicans 15 (19%) and Candida spp. 3 (3.8%). Trichophyton rubrum was the most frequently recovered dermatophyte (41.8%) and caused infections in a variety of sites. The groin was the most common site of infection being infected in 50% of the cases by both the dermatophytes and non-dermatophytes. Younger inmates (17-24 years) recorded the highest prevalence of infection (45.6%). Newer inmates (>2 years) were found to be more infected than older ones.

Cutaneous Mycoses among Rice Farmers in Anambra State, Nigeria

“…It was the only fungal organism recovered from all the body sites except from finger/toe web. This agrees with the work of other researchers who reported T. rubrum as the commonest etiologic agent of dermatophytoses of different parts of the body [9,27,28]. This study also demonstrated that in addition to the cutaneous fungal infection causing dermatophytes, nondermatophyte molds are becoming very important etiologic agents of skin infection.…”

“…These have been linked by Terrell [4], Meis and Verweij [5], and Rolston [6] to medical treatments, immune-compromised conditions, malnutrition, certain surgeries, and heavy metals like mercury. Other factors that can predispose one to fungal infections according to Gugnani [7], Shenoi et al [8], and Oyeka and Eze [9] include personal hygiene, crowded living and poor sanitary condition, size of family, age, warm humid climate, socioeconomic status, and international travels. Farm workers that are exposed to various irritant agents, namely, mud, cow dung, or other types of manure, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, dust, and soil (which is regarded as reservoir of most pathogenic organisms including dermatophyte and nondermatophyte fungi) are also predisposed to fungal infection [10][11][12].…”

Problems and Prospects of Administration of Nigerian Prison: Need for Proper Rehabilitation of the Inmates in Nigeria Prisons

“…Thirty (30) or twelve percent (1%) was undecided, two (2) or one percent (1%) disagreed while ten (10) or three percent strongly disagreed on the above assertion (Table 29). Table 28: There is need for Nigeria prison law to be amended to focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment.…”

“…About 39% representing, sixty eight respondents (n:68) attribute the lack of good feeding to poor quality, while another 3% representing fifty one respondents (n:51) do not find any of the following reasons applicable, namely (i) poor quality, (ii) irregular meal and (iii) small quality approximately 12% representing twenty respondents (n:20) maintained that the trends within the society and the annual cost of feeding alone of not less than N10,800 per person. And then, if we were to compute the cost security and staffing, we may arrive at a staggering figure of about N20, 000 per prisoner/detainee per annum, and when one multiplies this by some 75,000 prisoners/ detainees, the figures could be extremely daunting [28][29][30][31].…”

Aspects épidémiologiques et étiologiques des mycoses cutanéo-phanériennes chez les détenus de la maison d’arrêt et de correction de Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)

“…Parmi ces maladies, le sida et la tuberculose retiennent l'attention du fait qu'elles posent des problèmes aigus. Les mycoses cutanéo-unguéales considérées bénignes, n'y ont fait l'objet que de peu d'études, essentiellement en Inde, en Iran et au Nigéria [9,[13][14][15]. En Afrique subsaharienne où ces mycoses sont fréquentes, il est néces-saire de mener plus d'enquêtes sur ces affections dans les prisons, en vue de mettre en oeuvre les recommandations de l'OMS [10] …”