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

Abstract

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.