02409nas a2200301   4500000000100000008004100001260003400042653001300076653003500089653002200124653002900146653001100175100001000186700001200196700001100208700001200219700001100231700001000242700001100252700000900263700000900272700001100281245012800292856011000420300000900530520154300539022002502082       2025                            d  bOxford University Press (OUP)10aChildren10aGlobal Burden of Disease study10aHealth Inequality10ainfectious skin diseases10aTrends1 aRao L1 aChang S1 aPeng Q1 aXiang L1 aZhao W1 aRan P1 aZhao L1 aLu Y1 aWu D1 aChen Y00aGlobal burden and cross-country inequality of infectious skin diseases in children: the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021  uhttps://academic.oup.com/inthealth/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf109/64698887/ihaf109.pdf  a1-103 a<p><strong>Background</strong></p>

<p>Infectious skin diseases (ISDs) in children require greater attention; this study aims to explore their global burden from 1990 to 2021.</p>

<p><strong>Methods</strong></p>

<p>We obtained data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 and present information on the number, rates of incidence and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for ISDs among children, including bacterial, fungal and viral skin diseases.</p>

<p><strong>Results</strong></p>

<p>In 2021, an estimated 685 367 728 new cases of ISDs in children were identified globally. Among these, bacterial, fungal and viral skin diseases accounted for 37.81%, 55.70% and 6.49%, respectively. From 1990 to 2021, a significant increase was observed in the incidence of ISDs, but a notable decrease was noted in the rate of DALYs. In 2021, low Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) regions had the highest incidence and DALYs rates for bacterial and fungal skin diseases; high-SDI regions exhibited the highest rates for viral skin diseases. India had the highest incidence rate of ISDs, while Ethiopia revealed the highest DALYs rate. Absolute inequality analyses showed the slope index of inequality narrowed from 1990 to 2021.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusions</strong></p>

<p>The incidence of ISDs among children is rising globally; children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) bear a disproportionately higher disease burden. Intervention strategies are required to reduce the disease burden, particularly in LMICs.</p>
  a1876-3413, 1876-3405