Abstract

Tinea capitis represents a typical dermatophyte infection of scalp and follicles that mainly affects young children before puberty. The infection develops from fungi including Microsporum and Trichophyton species which transmit through human contact as well as contact between animals and people and from environmental sources. The researchers sought to evaluate Tinea capitis epidemiological aspects among prepubertal children in Baghdad Al-Karkh district during 2024 while studying both prevalence frequencies and exposure elements and population distribution patterns. The retrospective descriptive study analyzed the data from 309 Tinea capitis diagnosed children in the period October through December of 2024. The study data originated from dermatology outpatient facilities together with primary healthcare institutions across Baghdad Al-Karkh. Research variables included patient age and gender together with occupational background of parents and their exposure history to the infection and their showing clinical manifestations. Statistical evaluation was carried out through SPSS version 22 while maintaining a p value smaller than 0.05 for significance. Among the children diagnosed with Tinea capitis males accounted for 67% of cases while females represented 33%. The sixty-eight percent of Tinea capitis cases occurred within the age bracket of 5–8 years. Children in financial unstable families together with those who had direct exposure to infected people or animals showed higher infection rates. Most patients exhibited pruritus symptoms at a rate of 87% along with hair loss at 86% and lymphadenopathy at 71%. The public health problem of Tinea capitis continues to affect prepubertal children in Baghdad Al-Karkh. The effective control of Tinea capitis demands proper public health measures along with improved hygienic practices while implementing early antifungal treatment modalities.