A contribution to the study of tinea capitis in Lusaka, Zambia.

A study of tinea capitis in urban and rural schools of Lusaka revealed two dermatophytes, vis., Microsporum langeroni and Trichophyton violaceum as the causative agents of tinea capitis among school children. Tinea capitis was more common among boys (18.0%) than girls (14.7%), with prevalence of 16.8% and a peak infection at 9-11 years for both sexes. Clinically, most cases due to both M. langeroni and T. violaceum were non-inflammatory. The inflammatory cases were caused by T. violaceum. The higher number of infected children from squatter and low-cost areas was statistically highly significant compared to children from high-cost areas. A higher number of rural children were infected with tinea capitis than children in urban Lusaka. T. violaceum was the only dermatophyte species isolated in rural Lusaka, while in urban Lusaka, both T. violaceum and M. langeroni were isolated.