Good evening guys, today I`m not starting a comparison or chest thumping thread but instead I only need help from anybody who is going to come across this thread.
My name is
Teargass (I`m sorry for disappointing those who wanted to know my real name) and I am a
microbiologist, I`m starting this thread to get help from any of JF members either from Kenyan side or Tanzanian side on matters dealing with
Dermatophites commonly known as ringworm or mashilingi in swahili. In the recent years, there have been an upsurge in cases of ringworm around Africa which has resulted to skin distortion.
First I`ll start by telling you what this disease is.
Ringworm is a disease caused by a type of fungus that eats keratin. These are called
dermatophytes.
Dermatophytes attack the skin, scalp, hair, and nails because those are the only parts of the body with enough keratin to attract them. This fungus are microscopic spores that can survive on the surface of the skin for months.
Symptoms include;
- a rash with a ring-like appearance
- the skin may be red and inflamed around the outside of the ring, but look fine in the middle
- merging rings
- rings feel slightly raised
- itchiness, especially under the rash.
In the past two months our team has been travelling to different parts of East Africa and interacting with the community members so that they can get the plants those communities are using to treat this disturbing fungi. Unfortunately, the products of the plants we got are not up the to dose we wanted to kill
Dermatophites ,we needed a lethal dose of 50, that is; the plant extract can kill at least 50% of the cultured fungi.
Because we could not find the plant, we are hoping to get it in the remaining three countries (Rwanda, Tanzania and DR Congo) we are yet to visit God willing this year.
So if there is anybody who know any plant which can help please inform me so that we save on time of travelling.
THANK YOU ALL IN ADVANCE.