Scabies, pyoderma and nephritis in Zaria, Nigeria. A clinical and epidemiological study

The epidemiology and clinical features of skin rashes, pyoderma, and pyoderma with nephritis in children and adults in Zaria is described. Scabies is endemic in Zaria especially among young children, and boys at the Koranic schools. Pyoderma follows secondary infection of scabies and is more prevalent towards the end of the humid rainy season in August and September. Acute glomerulo-nephritis is common at this time also. Of 20 patients with pyoderma and nephritis 16 had scabies which had become infected. Group A streptococci were isolated from the skin lesions of 11 patients, but only 2 strains—one each of types M49 and M55—recognized to be associated with nephritis, were recovered. 3 patients had an uncommon type, M26 which had not previously been suspected of causing nephritis. Serum complement was low in all 10 patients with nephritis who were tested. Anti-deoxyribonuclease B was significantly more useful as an index of streptococcal infection than the antistreptolysin 0 titre.