Fungal Infections in Plateau State, Nigeria
L. U. Enurah
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
S. J. Shaibu
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
A. A. Bitrus
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
A. H. Momoh- Zekeri
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
L. H. Lombin
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
I. J. Barde
Central Diagnostic Laboratory, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This paper describes a study carried out on people of different ages with various skin diseases who submitted themselves for examination and diagnoses at the Dermatophylosis Research Centre of the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria. Samples of skin scrapping were collected and cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) while some were examined under the microscope for possible morphological identification of the fungi. The results showed that out of the thirty samples analyzed, nine genera of fungi were isolated comprising of Trichophyton 10 (33.3%), Aspergillus 9 (30%), Penicillum 4 (13.32%), Microsporum 2 (6.70%), Epidermorphyton 1 (3.33%), Trichosporum 1 (3.33%), Cryptococcus 1 (3.33%), Mucor 1 (3.33%), and Cephalosporium 1 (3.33).
The study revealed high incidence of human fungal diseases, a situation that calls for good hygiene practices in the study area to mitigate and possibly eradicate the prevalence of human skin diseases in the rural area of Plateau State.
Keywords: Fungi, infection, Plateau State, Nigeria