Dermatophytoses among school children in Aba, Abia State--Nigeria and some physiological studies on the isolated etiologic agents.

A total of 1,136 school children comprising 433 males and 703 females, within the age groups 4 to 16 years and all resident in Aba municipal town of Abia State were examined for clinical signs of dermatophytoses. Out of this number examined 196 (17.3%), which included 108 males and 88 females, had clinical lesions on various parts of the body including the head, skin, finger nails and toe webs characteristic of dermatophytoses. While the infection occurred highest among children between the ages of 10 and 12 years, male children were significantly more infected than the females (P = 0.05). The most common type of the disease was tinea capitis (10.8%) followed by tinea corporis (5.8%). The dermatophytes identified included Trichophyton mentagrophytes (19.4%). T. tonsurans (12.3%), Microsporum audoninii (7.7%) and M. gypseum (2%). All the isolates grew well at both 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C but none survived at 45 degrees C. On solid media, all, with the exception of M. gypseum produced extracellular lipase enzyme while none produced lecithinase, deoxyribounclease and protease enzymes. Only T. tonsurans and T. mentagrophytes produced urease enzyme.