The prevalence of nonmelanoma skin cancer in a population of patients with oculocutaneous albinism in Haiti.

BACKGROUND: Multiple studies have examined the prevalence of nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC) in patients with oculocutaneous albinism (OCA). However, to date, no studies have examined this data in Caribbean populations. METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional study of 106 patients with OCA who were seen at the Oculocutaneous Albinism Clinic in Port-au-Prince and Gros Morne, Haiti, between the dates of February 2017 and June 2018. RESULTS: In our population, 31/106 (29%) patients were found to have NMSC, 10/31 (32%) had BCC, 12/31 (39%) had SCC, and 9/31 (29%) had both types of NMSC. The most common age groups were 31-40 years, with the overall range of ages being 18-63 years. Also, 60/106 (57%) of the patients had actinic keratoses (AK). CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides new data examining the prevalence of NMSC within a population of patients with OCA in Haiti. Overall, it shows that patients with albinism develop NMSC at an earlier age compared with the rest of the population. Therefore, appropriate skin cancer screening and surveillance should be implemented within this high-risk population group.

Prevalence of Skin Disease in Urban Haiti: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The prevalence of skin disease varies with geographic location and may be affected by cultural factors. In Haiti, the combination of poor health care access, infrastructure lack, and natural disasters may affect the prevalence of skin conditions. Unfortunately, little epidemiological information has been obtained on the prevalence of skin diseases in Haiti. The objective of this study is to describe data on the prevalence of dermatological conditions in urban areas of Haiti. Univariate, bivariate, and χ2 analyses were used to evaluate associations. During February 2016, we documented 137 patients. The mean age was 27.7 years; most of the subjects were women (61.3%) in a cohort mostly adult (67.1%). The infectious and inflammatory dermatoses were the most prevalent (74.2%). Infectious skin diseases were more prevalent in men and in adults in general (p < 0.01). Inflammatory conditions were also more common in adults (p < 0.05). Additionally, alopecia and dyschromia were limited to women (p < 0.01). Infectious skin diseases, in particular fungal infections, were amongst the most common diagnoses in the urban area of Haiti. Therefore, improved access to antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory medications would likely benefit Haitian patients with dermatological conditions. These findings may help local public health officials and future dermatological expeditions better serve this population.

Tungiasis in Haiti: a case series of 383 patients.

BACKGROUND: Tungiasis is endemic in poverty-stricken communities of South and Central America, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. This ectoparasitosis, caused by the female sand flea Tunga penetrans, is associated with considerable longterm morbidity in severely affected patients, including toe deformation and limited mobility. In Haiti, tungiasis is poorly documented but is known to occur. This study is the first formal investigation of tungiasis in Haiti. METHODS: A total of 383 patients in four regions (Belle Fontaine, Vallue, Savanette, Cerca Carvajal) were examined and interviewed to determine disease prevalence, demographics and clinical presentation, and tungiasis-related behaviors. RESULTS: Prevalences of tungiasis ranged from 10.6 to 81.8% across the four regions. The overall prevalence of tungiasis in the patients examined was 31.1%. Of the affected patients, 63% were male and 37% were female, 37% were aged 0-10 years, and 100% reported pain and pruritus. Lesions occurred on the feet in 93.3% and on the hands in 22.7% of affected patients. The most common complications observed were chronic inflammation (54.2%) and hyperkeratosis (48.2%). CONCLUSIONS: This study establishes tungiasis as endemic in four regions of Haiti and reveals disease characteristics similar to those reported previously, suggesting that there are common factors underlying this disease in various regions, which are likely to be poverty-related. These findings emphasize the need to acknowledge tungiasis as a clinically relevant public health issue in order to decrease the frequency of tungiasis-related morbidity in endemic areas.