Systematic Review of the Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Nonsexual Transmission of Warts and Molluscum in Children.

Background/objective: There is limited literature examining cutaneous warts (CW) and molluscum contagiosum (MC) together to identify common risk factors for their transmission in the pediatric population, and the epidemiological findings vary significantly among authors. This work aims to identify the determinants contributing to the spread of these diseases among children and to consolidate epidemiological data from multiple articles into a single, comprehensive overview.

Methods: English literature publications in PubMed were reviewed. Works related to sexual, oral, or vertical transmission were included only in the introduction, while the focus on risk factors and epidemiology centered on nonsexual transmission of CW and MC. The literature review is summarized in a table.

Results: The epidemiological data vary; however, all show that CW and molluscum infections are more common in children. Two strongly associated risk factors were identified: skin-to-skin contact with affected individuals (classmates, siblings, other family members) and shared fomites (shoes, clothing, towels, bath sponges, razors, brushes, combs, bar soap). Additional minor risk factors in the pediatric population included gender, swimming in pools, sharing bathtubs/showers, immunocompromise (immunodeficiency, organ transplantation, chemotherapy) and a history of cutaneous illnesses that impair skin barrier function.

Conclusions: There are similarities in the transmission of both infections. Gaining a deeper understanding of how these infections spread will contribute to developing more effective prevention measures for the pediatric population. This research serves as a starting point for future studies.