Antifungal Susceptibility Pattern of Fungi Associated with Tinea capitis in School Children of Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania

Introduction: Tinea capitis is one of the common skin diseases affecting school-age children in developing countries. However, the susceptibility of fungi associated with this disease against antifungal agents commonly used has not been fully investigated. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the antifungal susceptibility pattern of fungi associated with tinea capitis amongst children sampled from selected schools in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted involving 72 school children recruited from 10 primary schools in selected class strata within Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania using a multistage sampling technique. Pure cultures of fungi isolates were obtained from scrappings of head lesions in school children and tested for sensitivity to commonly used antifungal agents using the Kirby Bauer agar disk diffusion method. Results: The identified fungi were Trichoderma longibrachiatum, Cytobasidium minutum, Aspergillus spp, Ectophoma multirostrata, Aureobasidium pullulans, Aspergillus flavus, Cladosporium tenuissimum, Pichia terricola, Penicillium flavigenum and Fusarium solani. Out of 10 fungal isolates, 9 (90%) were sensitive to both amphotericin B and nystatin, 4(40%) sensitive to clotrimazole, 1(10%) sensitive to fluconazole and griseofulvin, 3(30%) sensitive to itraconazole, and no isolate showed sensitivity to ketoconazole. Nystatin and amphotericin B showed best antifungal activity against Trichoderma longibrachiatum, Cytobasidium minutum, Fusarium solani and Aspergillus sp while clotrimazole and ketoconazole had intermediate fungal growth inhibition and best activity against Fusarium solani and Aspergillus sp but were resistant to the other antifungal agents. Fluconazole, griseofulvin, and itraconazole were not effective to any of the isolates. Conclusion: This study revealed that nystatin and amphotericin B were ideal antifungal drugs for the treatment of tinea capitis in the studied population.