REVIEW article
Front. Pediatr.
Sec. Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fped.2025.1513969
This article is part of the Research TopicExploring Infection Dynamics and Interventions in Pediatric Atopic DermatitisView all articles
Skin and systemic infections in children with atopic dermatitis: Review of the current evidence
Provisionally accepted
- National Institute of Pediatrics (Mexico), Mexico City, Mexico
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Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, pruritic inflammatory skin disorder that affects approximately 2-42% of children worldwide. Its course is frequently complicated by secondary bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, which can exacerbate disease severity and hinder treatment outcomes. These infections are thought to arise due to a disrupted skin barrier, reduced antimicrobial peptide production, alterations in the skin microbiome, and Th2-dominant inflammatory response. Identifying the most prevalent and pathogenic microorganisms in patients with AD is critical for early diagnosis, effective management, and prevention of complications. This review provides an updated synthesis of current knowledge on the infectious agents implicated in AD pathogenesis, summarizing recent findings on the epidemiology, microbial interactions, and immune mechanisms involved. Furthermore, it provides an overview of the latest therapeutic strategies for managing AD and its associated infections. By integrating recent insights into pathogenesis and treatment, this study offers a comprehensive perspective on the evolving landscape of AD management in children.
Keywords: atopic dermatitis, Skin Infection, Staphylococcal skin Infection, viral skin infection, Bacterial skin infection, fungal skin infection
Received: 19 Oct 2024; Accepted: 27 Mar 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Lomelí-Valdez, Saez-de-Ocariz and Orozco-Covarrubias. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Marimar Saez-de-Ocariz, National Institute of Pediatrics (Mexico), Mexico City, Mexico
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