[Prevalence of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection in Panamanian children. Preliminary report].

The prevalence of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection in Panamanian children was demonstrated to be 12.73% (14/110) by skin reactivity to 50 micrograms of yeast derived antigen. Boys were infected more frequently than girls - 1.45:1. The earliest age of infection was 2 years, and a direct relationship was noted between age and frequency of infections (as the children became older, more of them became infected); boys more so than girls. Thirteen of 14 (93%) of the infected juvenile population live in a rural environment.