Skin of color in dermatopathology: does color matter?

Systematic Review of the Prevalence of Tinea Pedis in Children

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Tinea pedis, commonly known as athlete's foot, is a fungal infection that affects the skin of the feet. While there is extensive research on the prevalence of tinea pedis in adults, data regarding prevalence in children are limited. Therefore, it is important to gain information about epidemiology and prevalence in pediatric patients to prevent and treat this condition in children.

METHODS

A comprehensive search across PubMed and Embase was conducted for studies published up to October 10, 2024. Inclusion criteria were studies reporting on the prevalence of tinea pedis in children (0-19 years) with a study population of a minimum of 100 children. A total of 29 studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed to determine prevalence patterns, diagnostic methods, and etiological agents.

RESULTS

The included studies revealed prevalence rates varying from 0.03% to 15.6%. The most common diagnostic methods were clinical examination, microscopy, and culture. The main etiological agents were dermatophytes, specifically Trichophyton rubrum.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review reveals heterogeneous studies with variations among countries when reporting the prevalence of tinea pedis in children of up to 15.6%. Healthcare professionals should increase awareness of recognizing tinea pedis and consider it a potential diagnosis within the pediatric population.

What can we learn about skin of color in dermatopathology?

As the US population becomes increasingly diverse, more patients of color seek dermatologic care and often have concerns that are unique to their skin color. Therefore, it is critically important that the knowledge gap in skin of color dermatology be urgently addressed. In addition to addressing the clinical gap in recognizing dermatologic disease in patients of color, the role of dermatopathology in bridging this gap remains unaddressed. Given the impact that skin color can have on the presentation and subsequent management of dermatologic diseases, understanding the current knowledge of the unique structural and histologic characteristics in skin of color may help give us insight on the role skin color should play in histopathologic diagnosis. In this paper, we bring insights into the role dermatopathology plays in addressing our knowledge of cutaneous disease in patients with skin of color. After we highlight issues to consider, we can begin to identify gaps in knowledge that still exist within dermatopathology that need to be addressed to ensure patients of all backgrounds receive equitable dermatologic care.

Emerging concepts in dermatopathology: a special issue of neoplastic, inflammatory, and special-site dermatopathology and important practice considerations

This special issue of Human Pathology, highlighting updates in dermatopathology, represents a carefully curated collection of articles written by authors invited for their respective areas of expertise. This issue covers a range of important topics in neoplastic, inflammatory, or special-site dermatopathology, with an emphasis on "high-stakes" or emerging diagnoses or those that would be otherwise encountered infrequently by most practicing pathologists. In addition, topics important in clinical practice, including considerations relating to skin of color and cognitive bias in dermatopathology, are addressed. Throughout this issue, authors have incorporated scientific advances and recent literature to help pathologists tackle these difficult areas in dermatopathology.