Experts have called for new educational initiatives and skin-care management techniques to reduce the burden of tropical skin diseases—such as leprosy, scabies, and yaws—that are common among individuals who live in African regions associated with poverty, overcrowding, malnutrition, and humidity, according to an article published in The Conversation. The experts stressed that there are often inadequate dermatologic resources for these patients. In a new study published by Saka et al in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, researchers examined the prevalence of leprosy, scabies, and yaws in Togo by utilizing mobile clinics throughout communities in the country. Among the 1,401 individuals who participated in the study, 7.5% (n = 105) had tropical skin diseases—the most common of which was scabies, present in 86 of the patients—and 23.8% (n = 333) had fungal diseases. Additionally, 68 of the participants who had tropical skin diseases were children and 37 of them were adults. The researchers found that the diseases had caused 44 of the participants to report feelings of stigmatization and 41 of them to skip work or school. The researchers recommended that patients receive public health education on the significance of early diagnoses and interventions to limit the progression of skin diseases and potentially prevent them from occurring in the first place. They also stressed the need for free medications to encourage more individuals with tropical skin diseases to seek medical attention.
May 25, 2023