Retrospective Study of Epidermal Parasitic Skin Diseases amongst Out- Patients of Skin Diseases Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

A ten year retrospective study (1997-2006) was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Epidermal Parasitic Skin Diseases (EPSD) among out-patients from the skin diseases hospital in Maiduguri, Borno state. Out of 10,000 out-patients examined during the study period, 3527(35.27%) where infected with EPSD. Of this number, 2819(79.9%) were infected with scabies and 708 (20.1%) with Cutaneous Larva Migrans (CLM). Retro-prevalence among age revealed 1912(67.83%) for the young and 907 (32.17%) for adults infected with scabies and 418(59.04%) and 290 (40.96%) for adults infected with CLM. Similarly, sex wise prevalence reveals that the males had 2031 (72.05%) and 501 (70.76%) for scabies and CLM scabies (p<0.05), while females had 788 (27.95%) and 207 (29.24%) respectively for scabies and CLM (p<0.05). Based on cumulative monthly distribution, it was most prevalent between May and September for both scabies and CLM out- patients. Adequate attention should be accorded to the risk factors such as lack of adequate sanitation, poor hygiene and overcrowding which when eliminated or reduced will reduce the burden of the disease.