Prevalence of skin Neglected Tropical Diseases and superficial fungal infections in two peri-urban schools and one rural community setting in Togo

Author summary This article is a group of conditions called skin Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). The study takes place in Togo, West Africa. There is very little evidence around how widespread NTDs are in Togo. Local dermatologists carried out skin examinations of students in two schools on the edge of Lomé, the capital city. They also examined skin of community residents in rural Togo, in the north-east of the country. We show how the prevalence of fungal skin disease is very high, and also diagnosed numerous cases of scabies (one of the skin NTDs). Cases of leprosy and Buruli Ulcer were also found. Additionally, there were high levels of reported stigma. Our findings show how addressing this burden of disease is vital to improve individual and population health, but also to reduce the socio-economic consequences of these treatable conditions.