Epidemiology of Histopathologically Diagnosed Mycoses: The Ibadan 37 Years Experience
B. A. F. Ngwu *
Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Ebonyi State University, PMB 077, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
A. O. Oluwasola
Department of Pathology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
F. E. Iyare
Department of Histopathology/Morbid Anatomy, Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
J. O. Ogunbiyi
Department of Pathology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
E. E. Akang
Department of Pathology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Recent studies suggest that the occurrence of mycotic infections is increasing worldwide, due to predisposing factors such as immunosuppression from chemotherapy, surgery, HIV/AIDS and debilitating diseases, but there is paucity of information regarding fungal infections in our environment.
Aim: This study aimed to characterise mycoses diagnosed histopathologically in the Department of Pathology, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan between 1970 and 2006.
Methods: The surgical pathology and autopsy records of all mycoses diagnosed during the study period were retrieved and analysed. One hundred and eighty-six mycoses were recruited.
Results: There was a progressive decline in the annual occurrence of mycoses from 19.7% to 1.1%. The cases comprised 121 males and 65 females, whose ages ranged from 6 weeks to 80 years, with 68.3% being less than 40 years of age. The mean age of the male patients (29.9±18.4 years) was not significantly different from that of the females (27.4±18.2 years), t = 0.867, df = 186, p = 0.387. The most common mycotic infections were African histoplasmosis (28%), aspergillosis (12.4%), mycetoma (9.7%), candidiasis (8.6%) and actinomycosis (7%). Systemic mycoses accounted for 62%, followed by subcutaneous mycoses (21%), cutaneous mycoses (11%) and superficial mycoses (6%). The most common sites involved were the skin (23.7%), upper and lower limbs (15.6%), nose (11.3%) and lungs (7%).
Conclusion: The present study has demonstrated that fungal infections are common and account for significant morbidity and disease burden in our environment.
Keywords: Histopathological diagnosis, fungal infections, epidemiology of mycosis, Ibadan experience, Nigeria