Cutaneous adornment in the Yoruba of south-western Nigeria - past and present.

The traditional practice of cutaneous adornment is rich and vast amongst the Yoruba in the south-western part of Nigeria. There are varieties of traditionally made products, such as oils, soaps, fragrances, and beads, that have been employed over the years to enhance body beauty. This rich cultural heritage, however, has more or less given way to the values of Western culture, together with the disadvantages of the latter, manifesting as sequelae on the skin.

Dermatology in Nigeria: evolution, establishment and current status.

The history of dermatology in Nigeria can be summarized by listing the "first events and people" who played major roles. The first dermatologist to work in Nigeria was George HV Clarke in the mid 1950s. He was based in Lagos. Organized training/teaching and research in dermatology was first established at the University of Ibadan in the western region of Nigeria, in collaboration with the Institute of Dermatology, London. The first set of dermatologists from the Institute on secondment who established dermatology as a discipline at the University of Ibadan were Roger RM Harman as lecturer and GC Wells as the Visitor/supervising consultant in 1962. The first indigenous dermatologist was Anezi Okoro. The first female dermatologist was Yetunde M Olumide. The first (and still the only) Department of Dermatology was at the Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-ife in the western region of Nigeria, started by a German trained dermatologist: F. Soyinka, the junior brother of Nigeria's first (and only) Nobel Laureate. The first leprologist in Nigeria was George Stanley Browne, a medical missionary. He worked briefly as an associate lecturer (1963-65) under Professor Alexander Brown at the University of Ibadan. Most of the events in Nigeria's dermatology history as well as the greatest concentration of dermatologists in the country have been around the south-western part of the country: Lagos, Ibadan, and Ile-ife. The military coup and the political events that occurred thereafter had a great negative impact on the development/growth of dermatology in Nigeria. The documentation by Ryan as of 1990 indicates that many African countries still do not have a single trained dermatologist.

Prevalence of skin diseases in Ibadan, Nigeria.

AIM: To study the pattern of skin diseases in patients attending the skin clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, and to compare our findings with studies performed earlier in the same clinic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study involved 1091 new patients who had attended the skin clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, between January 1994 and December 1998. The patients were examined by the authors, and laboratory investigations were ordered when necessary to make a diagnosis. RESULTS: An increased prevalence of eczema, idiopathic pruritus, urticaria, connective tissue diseases, and fixed drug eruptions was observed. Infections, such as scabies, candidiasis, and tinea versicolor, had also increased. Pyoderma, leprosy, onchocerciasis, and dermatophytoses showed a decline. Psoriasis was uncommon, although there was a slight increase in prevalence. Vitiligo and alopecia were stable. Cutaneous tuberculosis, such as lupus vulgaris, was rare. CONCLUSIONS: Allergic conditions have increased; connective tissue disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, and discoid lupus erythematosus, have also increased. Cutaneous disorders associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection, such as seborrheic dermatitis, have increased. Health workers need to be educated on the management and treatment of these conditions, and should be advised to refer patients to appropriate health facilities when necessary.

Evaluation of clinical types of cutaneous lichen planus in anti-hepatitis C virus seronegative and seropositive Nigerian patients.

BACKGROUND: The presentation of oral lichen planus in anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) seropositive and seronegative patients was previously evaluated, and the keratotic form of oral lichen planus was found to be more prevalent in anti-HCV seropositive patients. This study evaluated the presentation of cutaneous lichen planus in anti-HCV seropositive and seronegative Nigerians. METHODS: Fifty-seven Nigerians with cutaneous lichen planus were carefully examined to determine the form of lichen planus present. All were screened for the presence of anti-HCV by second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and grouped as anti-HCV seropositive or anti-HCV seronegative patients. RESULTS: Nine patients were anti-HCV positive. Seven of these seropositive patients had hypertrophic lichen planus. CONCLUSION: Hypertrophic lichen planus in Nigerians is more prevalent with HCV infection.

A revisit of sickle cell disease, sickle cell trait, and the extra transverse digital crease on the fingers.

BACKGROUND: Alteration in the location and number of palmar creases has been found in association with certain disorders. The extra transverse digital crease (ETDC) has been reported in sickle cell disease. This study was carried out to determine the importance of ETDC as a diagnostic tool for sickle cell disease amongst Nigerians. METHODS: Medical students and student nurses with available hemoglobin electrophoresis records were studied. Their palms were examined for the presence of ETDC. RESULTS: An ETDC was present in 80 of 178 (44.9%) cases with genotype AA, 26 of 68 (38.2%) cases with sickle cell trait (AS, 65; AC, 3), and 10 of 22 (45.4%) cases with sickle cell disease (SS). CONCLUSIONS: The results from our study show that the ETDC is not a diagnostic sign of sickle cell disease in Nigerians.