Dermatophytosis survey in Lagos State of Nigeria.

A dermaphytosis survey covering 3,860 schoolchildren was conducted in Lagos, Nigeria, between January 1973 and January 1974. Seven species of dermatophytes, namely, Trichophyton mentagrophytes (four isolates), T. rubrum (three isolates), T. soundanense (11 isolates), Microsporum canis (five isolates), M. gypseum (two isolates), M audouinii (four isolates), and Epidermophyton floccosum (three isolates) were recovered from specimens collected from the hair, skin and scalp scrapings of 81 schoolchildren. The incidence of dermatophytosis (2.10%) is low in schoolchildren covered in this survey. This is the first time M. canis and M. Gypseum have been isolated from superficial skin lesions in human beings in Nigeria.