SKIN DISEASES OF CHILDREN IN MALI - A PUBLIC-HEALTH PROBLEM

In order to estimate the importance as a public health problem of skin diseases, we investigated the prevalence and severity of skin disease s in a representative sample of children in Mali. 1817 children were r andomly selected in 30 clusters by probability-proportional-to-size sa mpling in Koulikoro region. The mean (+/- 2 SD), tinea of skin disease s was 34 +/- 4%. The most frequent dermatoses were pyoderma (12.3 +/- 1.6%), tinea capitis (9.5 +/- 2.5%), pediculosis capitis (4.7 +/- 1.4% ), scabies (4.3 +/- 1.5%), and molluscum contagiosum (3.6 +/- 1%). The most troublesome dermatoses were scabies and severe pyoderma. Pyoderm a was the only dermatosis associated with poor individual or household hygiene. Public health services were little used by the population fo r skin diseases, probably because of the lack of an adequate response by the services and the high cost of treatment. The high prevalence an d the severity of many of the lesions, and the discomfort caused, make pyoderma and scabies a significant public health problem in Mall.