Pediatric Sporotrichosis in Jilin Province of China (2010-2016): a Retrospective Study of 704 Cases

Abstract

Background: Pediatric patients make a substantial contribution to the epidemiologic profile of sporotrichosis in Jilin Province, a region of China in which the disease is strongly endemic. However, the exact epidemiologic and clinical manifestations of childhood sporotrichosis in China are unclear.

Methods: The medical records of 704 pediatric patients aged <15 years with sporotrichosis diagnosed by fungus culture at the Department of Dermatology at the First Hospital of Jilin University in a 7-year period (January 2010 to December 2016) were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were from rural areas of Jilin Province, located in northeast China.

Results: Among the 704 pediatric patients, the male/female ratio was 1.41:1, and the highest incidence of sporotrichosis (63%) occurred in those aged 0 to 6 years; 561 patients (80%) contracted sporotrichosis in a colder month. Overall, 655 (93%) patients had lesions in the facial region, whereas 602 (86%) patients had fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis. The incidence of the fixed cutaneous form in the 0- to 6-year age group was significantly higher than that in the 7- to 14-year age group (P = .009). Patients were treated with 10% potassium iodide solution, itraconazole, or terbinafine.

Conclusions: The characteristics of pediatric sporotrichosis in Jilin Provence include the following: (1) a more frequent occurrence in the colder months; (2) the facial region is affected predominantly, in most cases manifesting in the fixed cutaneous form; and (3) significantly more cases occur in younger children than in older ones. Decaying cornstalks used as fire materials might be the source of infection in this population; however, additional research is needed to explore the exact mechanism of infection.

Keywords: China; children; epidemiology; sporotrichosis.