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TOPLINE:

A systematic review identified a prevalence range of tinea pedis in children from 0.03% to 15.6%, with notable demographic and geographic variations. Dermatophytes, particularly Trichophyton rubrum, were the most common causative agents.

METHODOLOGY:

• To evaluate the prevalence of tinea pedis in children aged 0-19 years, the researchers conducted a systematic review of 29 studies with populations ranging from 321 to 8122 children through October 2024 in countries that included Spain, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, India, Colombia, and Tanzania (none was US studies).
• The mean age of the children was 12.6 years, with an average of 52.6% being boys.
• Most of the studies were cross-sectional studies of schoolchildren.
• Diagnostic methods encompassed clinical examination, microscopy, and culture, with 72.4% of studies using all three methods for mycologic confirmation.
• The clinical examiners included dermatologists (31%), nurses (10%), specially trained teachers (3%), microbiologists (3%), non-dermatologist physicians (6%), a medical health officer (3%), and pediatricians (6%).

TAKEAWAY:

• The prevalence of tinea pedis in the studies ranged from 0.03% to 15.60%. The highest prevalence rates appeared in studies published after 2000.
• Dermatophytes accounted for 96% of infections, with T rubrum being the predominant pathogen at 53%, followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes at 42%.
• Geographical analysis revealed the highest prevalence in equatorial regions, with studies from Turkey showing notable variations ranging from 0.27% to 15.6%.
• Higher prevalence rates were observed in rural and low socioeconomic settings than in urban areas, indicating a significant impact of study settings on infection rates.

IN PRACTICE:

“Healthcare professionals should remain vigilant in recognizing pediatric tinea pedis to improve prevention and treatment strategies,” authors of the study wrote. “More comprehensive and standardized research,” they noted, “is necessary to determine the exact prevalence of tinea pedis in the pediatric population.”

SOURCE:

The study was led by Joanna Elisabeth Bjerg Stenderup, Department of Dermatology, Zealand University Hospital in Roskilde, Denmark, and was published online on April 14 in Pediatric Dermatology.

LIMITATIONS:

The studies lacked standardized diagnostic methods, complicating comparisons. Additionally, many studies did not specify the etiologic agent, and the age range of participants was not comprehensive.

DISCLOSURES:

The authors received no specific funding for this work. One author reported receiving grants and personal fees from Galderma, AbbVie, Janssen, Jamjoom Pharma, Sanofi, LEO Pharma, Pfizer, UCB, and Novartis outside the submitted work.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.