Skin infections in eastern Panama. Survey of two representative communities.

A skin infection survey of 1,084 people was carried out in two jungle villages in eastern Panama. Bacterial pyoderma was the most prevalent infection, affecting 25% of boys, 15% of girls, and 11% of those over 10 years of age. Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus were recovered from 84% of pyodermas cultured. Nearly 60% of the cutaneous staphylococcal isolates were resistant to penicillin. Hippelates flies were seen feeding on purulent skin lesions and may have been important in transmission. Scabies, ringworm, candidiasis, and cutaneous leishmaniasis were in comparison with pyoderma involving less than 1% of the population each. All of the ringworm infections were caused by Trichophyton rubrum.