Prurigo strophulus: Epidemiological, clinical aspects and environmental factors among children in Yaoundé, Cameroon (Sub-Saharan Africa)

Abstract

Background: Prurigo Strophulus (PS) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory disease caused by a hypersensitivity reaction to arthropod bites. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of PS and its clinical characteristic in our context. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study during February to May 2017 in Dermatology's units of six hospitals in Yaoundé. Children with clinical signs of PS were included. A questionnaire was administered for data collection. Results: A total of 112 children (62 boys and 50 girls) were included in the study, with a median age of 2 years; with range varied from 5 months to 16 years. The prevalence of PS was 5.4%. The most represented age group was 0–5 years (78.6%). PS lesions were most often located in exposed areas of body such as lower limbs (101/112; 90.2%), upper limbs (85/112; 75.9%) and face (19.6%). Papule-vesicle (87.5%) was the predominant type of lesions. Conclusion: PS is a common disease in Yaoundé (Cameroon). Papule-vesicle lesions are the most frequent signs. It is usually found in exposure areas of body.