Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26317533›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2015

The Global Epidemiology of Impetigo: A Systematic Review of the Population Prevalence of Impetigo and Pyoderma.

Asha C Bowen, Antoine Mahé, Roderick J Hay, Ross M Andrews, Andrew C Steer, Steven Y C Tong, Jonathan R Carapetis

Open access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 134 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
134citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
11.1field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

134 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 334 citations in OpenAlex.

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  8. Berrembi Jarragboo-Boorroo Wajawoorroo Men'Gawoom Gijam (Gija Healthy Skin Story): Two-Way Learning for Healthy Skin.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2025
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  20. mBio · 2026
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74 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 6 institutions in 3 countries.

Asha C BowenMenzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Antoine MahéDepartment of Dermatology, Hôpital Pasteur, Colmar, France.
Roderick J HayInternational Foundation for Dermatology, London, United Kingdom; Skin Infection Clinic, Kings College Hospital NHS Trust, Denmark Hill, United Kingdom.
Ross M AndrewsMenzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
Andrew C SteerRoyal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Institute for Child Health Research, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Steven Y C TongMenzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
Jonathan R CarapetisDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Menzies School of Health Research · AUHôpital Pasteur · FRKing's College Hospital · GBRoyal Darwin Hospital · AUUniversity of Melbourne · AUUniversity of Western Australia · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveWe conducted a comprehensive, systematic review of the global childhood population prevalence of impetigo and the broader condition pyoderma.

methodsPubMed was systematically searched for impetigo or pyoderma studies published between January 1 1970 and September 30 2014. Two independent reviewers extracted data from each relevant article on the prevalence of impetigo.

findingsSixty-six articles relating to 89 studies met our inclusion criteria. Based on population surveillance, 82 studies included data on 145,028 children assessed for pyoderma or impetigo. Median childhood prevalence was 12·3% (IQR 4·2-19·4%). Fifty-eight (65%) studies were from low or low-middle income countries, where median childhood prevalences were 8·4% (IQR 4·2-16·1%) and 14·5% (IQR 8·3-20·9%), respectively. However, the highest burden was seen in underprivileged children from marginalised communities of high-income countries; median prevalence 19·4%, (IQR 3·9-43·3%).

conclusionBased on data from studies published since 2000 from low and low-middle income countries, we estimate the global population of children suffering from impetigo at any one time to be in excess of 162 million, predominantly in tropical, resource-poor contexts. Impetigo is an under-recognised disease and in conjunction with scabies, comprises a major childhood dermatological condition with potential lifelong consequences if untreated.

Indexed as

ChildChild, PreschoolHumansImpetigoPrevalencePyodermaSocioeconomic Factors

Identifiers

PMID26317533
PMCPMC4552802
OpenAlexW1945949349

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.