Pattern of skin diseases at university of Benin teaching hospital, Benin city, Edo State, South-South Nigeria: a 12 month prospective study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study aims to look at the pattern and incidence of skin diseases seen in Dermatology/Venereology clinic at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Edo State, South-South Zone, Nigeria and compare it with other zones of Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study on pattern and incidence of skin diseases in new patients presenting at the Dermatology/ Venereology outpatient clinic of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Edo State, South-South, Nigeria, from September 2006 to August 2007. All patients were seen by the researchers. Diagnosis were made clinically and sometimes with the support of histopathology. RESULTS: A total number of 4786 patients were seen during the study period and these comprised 2647 HIV/AIDS patients and 2112 pure Dermatological patients. Out of 4786 patients, 755 (15.8%) were new patients. The new patients comprised 96 (12.7%) children patients (< 15 years) and 659 (83.7%) adult patients (>15years). The ages of the patients ranged from 2 weeks to 80 years and more than two-third were < 40 years. There were 354 males (46.9%) and 401 females (53.1%). This represents female: male ratio of 1.1: 1. Eczematous dermatitis accounted for 20.9% of the skin diseases and was the most common of the skin diseases observed. This is consistent with observation from other zones in Nigeria. Other skin diseases observed in order of frequencies include: Papulosqamous disorder (9.0%), Infectious skin diseases like fungal, viral, bacterial and parasitic infestation, at 7.9%, 7.7%, 2.3% and 2.1% respectively. Pigmentary disorders (5.0%), hair disorders (4.2%) and Benign neoplastic skin disease (6.5%). All the patients that had neurofibromatosis were females (1.9%). HIV-related skin diseases were observed to have increased remarkably (7.9%) with Kaposi's sarcoma, papular pruritic eruptions and drug eruptions being the commonest mode of presentation. CONCLUSION: The current pattern of skin diseases in Benin City, South-South Nigeria seems to follow a similar pattern observed in other Geo-political zones in Nigeria. The eczematous dermatitis took the lead and the impact of HIV-related skin diseases were vividly noticed to be on the increase. Connective tissue disorder and cutaneous malignancies were low in their occurrences. Our findings showed no major differences in the pattern of skin diseases when compared with other zones of Nigeria. Allergic skin diseases were observed to be on the increase in all the geo-political zones; possibly due to increase in urbanization and its attending socio-economic burden.

The prevalence of hepatitis C Virus (HCV) among lichen planus patients and its clinical pattern at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between hepatitis C virus and Lichen Planus have been widely reported in the literature; although there are wide geographical variations in the reported prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in patients with lichen planus. This study seeks to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus among lichen planus patients and its clinical morphological type in the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada Abuja, Nigeria. MATERIALS/METHODS: This study was conducted between January 2010 and December, 2011 at the out patients Dermatological unit of the department of medicine at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital Gwagwalada Abuja, Nigeria. Consecutive patients who had body eruptions suspected to be lichen planus were recruited and histology done for confirmation. The control group included patients' relations and some dermatology patients known to have low risk of hepatitis C virus infection and liver function tests done for both subjects and control after obtaining oral consent from them to participate in the study. RESULT: Anti- HCV antibodies were detected in nine cases (21.4%) and one case (3.3%) in the control group. This was statistically significant difference between the HCV antibody among the subject and control group (P<0.038). Hypertrophic lichen planus was the most frequent clinical type. Liver function test was not statistically significant among the subject and control group. CONCLUSION: Lichen planus and Hepatitis C virus appear to have a relationship and the prevalence rate was higher among the subject as compared to the control group in our environment.