Prevalence of Skin Disease in Urban Haiti: A Cross-Sectional Study

The Global Prevalence of Seborrheic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Importance

Seborrheic dermatitis is a prevalent chronic inflammatory skin disease, yet its global prevalence, pathogenesis, and epidemiology remain inadequately defined.

Objective

To provide a detailed estimation of the global prevalence of seborrheic dermatitis, analyze demographic variations, and explore differences in various settings.

Data Sources

Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched from inception through October 2023.

Study Selection

Original investigations on seborrheic dermatitis prevalence were included after duplicate screening of titles, abstracts, and full articles, including only studies with clinician-diagnosed cases.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

Following PRISMA guidelines, data were extracted and quality was assessed independently by multiple reviewers. A random-effects model using restricted maximum likelihood was used for meta-analysis and subgroup analyses.

Main Outcome and Measure

The primary outcome was the pooled estimate of global seborrheic dermatitis prevalence.

Results

From 1574 identified articles, 121 studies were included, encompassing 1 260 163 individuals and revealing a pooled global seborrheic dermatitis prevalence of 4.38% (95% CI, 3.58%-5.17%), with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 99.94%). Subgroup analyses showed variations by age, with a higher prevalence in adults (5.64% [95% CI, 4.01%-7.27%]) compared to children (3.70% [95% CI, 2.69%-4.80%]) and neonates (0.23% [95% CI, 0.04%-0.43%]). Geographic analyses indicated variability, with the highest prevalence in South Africa (8.82% [95% CI, 3.00%-14.64%]) and the lowest in India (2.62% [95% CI, 1.33%-3.92%]).

Conclusions and Relevance

This comprehensive meta-analysis provides a detailed estimation of the global prevalence of seborrheic dermatitis, highlighting significant variability across different demographics and settings.

Fungal Infections in the Caribbean: A Review of the Literature to Date

The most common fungal infections reported from the Caribbean include dermatophytosis, candidiasis, pneumocystis, aspergillosis, histoplasmosis, and cryptococcosis. The Caribbean is hyperendemic for histoplasmosis, with high population exposures. Fungal infections are a significant public health problem in the Caribbean, with rates varying depending on the specific country or region. In Trinidad and Tobago, the fungal burden accounts for 3.3% of the 1.4 million population, while in Jamaica, with a population of 2.9 million, over 57,600 people suffer from fungal infections each year. A study in the Dominican Republic estimated that approximately 221,027 (2%) of over 10 million people have a serious fungal infection. Fungal infections accounts for 21.9% of all skin infections in Haiti. The diagnosis of fungal infections in the Caribbean can be challenging, as access to laboratory testing and specialized medical services is limited in many areas. Access to antifungal medications can also be a challenge in some areas, and antifungal resistance has been reported.

Perspectives on skin disorder diagnosis among people living with HIV in southeastern Romania

The beginnings of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic are closely linked to dermatological conditions. A large part of the population living with HIV (PLWH) has a series of skin conditions that determine at some point, a visit to the dermatologist. The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) more than 20 years ago has diminished the range of dermatological conditions, with improved immunosuppression of CD4 lymphocytes. The study aimed to describe the prevalence of the diagnosed type of skin changes in PLWH receiving antiretroviral therapy and their stratification according to the degree of immunodeficiency. A prospective study was conducted on 57 PLWH evaluated monthly at an HIV outpatient clinic, from a tertiary hospital in southeastern Romania. Clinical examination and dermoscopy revealed the existence of a wide range of dermatological conditions; all 57 patients (100%) being diagnosed with one or more dermatological conditions. As our study shows, the prevalence of different dermatoses among PLWH varies depending on the geographical region. At the same time, under HAART, the image of dermatoses associated with decreased immunity from HIV infection has changed. The skin changes of PLWH no longer fully follow the classical staging, based on the degree of immunosuppression.