Skin diseases in rural Nyala, Sudan (in a rural hospital, in 12 orphanages, and in two refugee camps)

Abstract

Skin diseases are considered to be common in Nyala, Sudan. This study was carried out to verify the prevalence of skin diseases in Nyala. This prospective observational study included skin examination of a total of 1802 people: 620 patients who were evaluated in the outpatient clinics (OC) and 1182 people from orphanages and refugee camps (ORC) in Nyala, Sudan. v 2 test was used. The total prevalence of skin disorders in the sample was 92.6% (1670/1802). One thousand and fifty of 1182 (88.8%) people from ORC had a skin disorder. The most common skin diseases in this community were: fungal infections (32.6%), dermatitis/eczema (10.5%), bacterial skin infections (10.3%), disorders of skin appendages (8.7%), parasitic infestations (7.7%), atrophic skin disorders (7.4%), disorders of pigmentation (7.4%), hypertrophic skin disorders (6.4%), viral infections (5.8), benign neoplasm (1.9%), dermatoses due to animal injury (0.4%), bullous dermatoses (0.1%), and malignant neoplasm (0.1%). Hypertrophic and atrophic disorders of the skin were mainly lesions of scarification (mostly atrophic) (5.7%) and keloids (5.6%). Fungal infection, bacterial infection, and parasitic infestation were more common in the ORC group, while dermatitis and eczema, disorders of skin appendages, hypertrophic and atrophic disorders of the skin, disorders of pigmentation, and benign neoplasm were more common in the OC group. The prevalence of skin diseases in the rural Nyala was more than our expectation and was dominated by infectious skin diseases. In addition, infectious skin diseases were more common in ORC rather than OC.

Impact of climate change on atopic dermatitis: A review by the International Eczema Council

“…Climate change both increases the number of displaced people and can exacerbate health issues for this population who have more limited resources and are less prepared to handle extreme weather events 66 . Studies suggest that the prevalence of dermatitis/eczema ranges from 10.5% in a study conducted in rural Sudan 67 to as high as 33% of Syrian refugees in Jordan 68 . Low quality housing in refugee camps and immigrant resettlement communities have many environmental factors that can exacerbate AD, including mold growth, poor ventilation, pest infestation, overcrowding, and nonfunctioning sanitation facilities which increase the risk of secondary fungal and bacterial infections as well as mite infestations 69,70 .…”

“…Climate change both increases the number of displaced people and can exacerbate health issues for this population who have more limited resources and are less prepared to handle extreme weather events 66. Studies suggest that the prevalence of dermatitis/eczema ranges from 10.5% in a study conducted in rural Sudan67 to as high as 33% of Syrian refugees in Jordan 68. Low qual-…”

Social determinants of health as drivers of fungal disease

“…People displaced from structural conflict are also at an increased risk for fungal infections. For instance, superficial dermatophytoses were common among displaced Rohingya in a refugee camp in Bangladesh, 162 refugees from camps in Sudan, 163 Syrian refugees in a refugee camp in Jordan, 164 and refugees settling in the U.S. 165 …”

Dermatologic Care for Refugees: Effective Management of Scabies and Pediculosis

“…This term grants a protected status under international law and encompasses access to travel assistance, housing, cultural orientation, and medical evaluation upon resettlement. 5,6 The burden of treatable dermatologic conditions in refugee populations ranges from 19% to 96% in the literature 7,8 and varies from inflammatory disorders to infectious and parasitic diseases. 9 In one study of 6899 displaced individuals in Greece, the prevalence of dermatologic conditions was higher than traumatic injury, cardiac disease, psychological conditions, and dental disease.…”