Clinical Presentation and Risk Factors of Tinea Capitis in Children up to 15 Years Old in Major Referral Hospitals, Sana'a City, Yemen , 2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65693/irss.2025.v6i1.376Keywords:
Tinea capitis, dermatophytes, risk factors, Sana’a City, Yemen.Abstract
Background: Tinea capitis is an important superficial infection that affects children globally, known as scalp ringworm; it is a dermatophyte infection of the scalp predominantly affecting prepubertal children and caused by dermatophytic fungi. It accounts for up to 92.5% of dermatophytosis in children under 15 years. The prevalence and clinical characteristics of tinea capitis among children in Yemen remain largely unexplored.
Objective: To assess the clinical presentation and risk factors, and confirm the diagnosis by KOH skin scraping of tinea capitis in children attending dermatological clinics in Sana’a City, Yemen, in 2024.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over three months, from March 1st to may 30th, 2024. Data were collected from 82 children under 15 years old attending dermatological clinics. A structured questionnaire was used to gather information on demographic characteristics, clinical features, symptoms, and risk factors. The study was conducted over a period of seven months, from 1st March to 30th September 2024. The study included all children up to 15 years old in clinics of three major referral hospitals in Sana’a City, Yemen, specifically at Al-Thawra General Hospital, Al-Gomhori Teaching Hospital, and Al-Kuwait University Hospital. Data collection was obtained by using a structured questionnaire, which was designed to capture detailed information on socio-demographic data of the participants, the clinical presentation of tinea capitis, and associated risk factors. Data were collected by a team of thirteen trained medical students. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant using SPSS version 26. Data were evaluated for demographic and other clinical characteristics as definite variables. Consent was obtained from 21 September University.
Results: The majority of participants were male (67%) and had a mean age of (9.13+4.30) years (47.6%). Most children resided in urban areas (78.05%) and came from large families with more than six members (89%). The most common symptoms were hair scales (85.4%), itching (68.3%), and hair loss (67.1%). Significant risk factors included sharing personal equipment (28%), poor house ventilation (36.6%), animal contact (pets) (50%), immune deficiency (15.9%), and Habitual head covering (31.7%), lower maternal education levels (43.9%), not attending school, hygiene practices, and delayed healthcare seeking due to low income.
Conclusion and Recommendation: Tinea capitis constitutes a significant public health issue among children in Sana’a City, Yemen. Targeted public health interventions focusing on hygiene practices are crucial to reducing the transmission of tinea capitis. Public education should emphasize the importance of personal hygiene, including regular hair washing and avoiding the sharing of personal items such as combs and hats. It is recommendation to implement dermatological disease programs aimed at conducting awareness campaigns and performing dermatological examination prior to school enrollment. Improving accessibility to dermatological healthcare services is essential to ensure early detection and management. Furthermore, additional research is warranted to elucidate the epidemiology of tinea capitis across various regions of Yemen.
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