Prevalence of Viral Skin Infections among Patients in Diyala Provence - Iraq

Abstract

Back ground: Viral skin infections are a common skin problem all over the world especially in childhood and some of which are sexually transmitted with different prevalence rate in relation to age, sex, occupation and social group .

Objective: To determine the prevalence of viral skin infections among Iraqi patients, attending Baquba Teaching Hospital.

Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a consultant clinic of Baquba Teaching Hospital, in Diyala Provence during the period of 1st October 2008 to 31 March 2012. In which (802) patients with different viral skin diseases were collected and diagnosed clinically by consultant dermatologests, they were (469) males and (333) females, with a mean age of 27.7 ± 8 years.   

Results:  The viral skin wart, was the most prevalent (39.1%) and affecting the young adult males predominantly (mean age 23.54±12.5 years). The plane wart affect predominantly teen age group (mean age 14±11 years), pityriasis rosea and Gianotti Crostti syndrome which were regarded as a viral infections or reactive state to a viral infections, shows a relatively high prevalence rate (9.9% and 9.4% respectively). Molluscum contagiosum was also a common disease (9%) and more prevalent in young adult (mean age 21±14.5 years). Although herpes simplex viral skin infection were relatively a common disease in this study (8.4%), but the genital form was less commonly seen in Iraq (0.5%).

Conclusion: This study concluded that viral skin infections were a common problem in Iraq, predominantly in young adult males, with high prevalence of viral wart and low prevalence of xanthematous viral infections.