Isolation and Identification of Dermatophytes from Environmental Specimens Comparing with Species Isolated from Clinical Specimens of Scalp Infection among Sudanese Basic School, Kosti, White Nile State, Sudan -2020

Abstract

Background: Tinea capitis (TC) or scalp ringworm is common in pediatric population with reported rates of infection ranging from 4% to 15 % .T.rubrum is rarely reported in countries with a temperate climate . There is always hair loss with varying degrees of scaling and erythema [1-3]. Objectives: To identify the role of soil, plant & sewage in transmission of ringworm of scalp infection. This study was carried out on Kosti basic school students who suffering from ringworm of scalp (fungal infection) in White Nile state at Sudan in 2020. Methodology, Data Analyses and Results: Due to preservation of this fungal infection among school children in Kosti basic school students, a total of fifty specimens collected from different sources to determine the source of this infection in the area of study, twenty five students who suffering from ring worm of scalp and twenty five from soil, sewage, water and trees in the period between January – December -2020.The samples collected by scraping the scalp by surgical blade and removing the hair with needle and forceps from the peripheral lesion and gathered in filter paper and closed tightly,10% KOH was used to clarify and keratinized tissues. Trees samples were collected by washing the tree’s leaves and with all soil, sewage, water were collected into container. All samples were cultured on sabouroad dextrose agar medium for one week at room temperature. After growth, lactophenol cotton blue staining was used to identify depending on the colonial morphology under microscope and tolook for color, septate, aseptate hyphae, macro, micro conidia and spores. The results showed that there was 68% of isolates from soil, sewage, water and trees were matched to scalp isolates. The soil is significant one of these when Chi-square (X2) was used (P value = 0.027) that means, the source of infection among students may be due to soil transmission. Conclusion and Recommendation: Our results highlight the epidemiology of fungal infection of Kosti basic school students. Further studies are necessary to verify these findings considering the relatively high rate of fungal infection to cover all expected area with similar observation.