Dermatomycosis incidence in the Russian Federation for 2020—2024

Background. Dermatophytosis is an urgent issue in modern medicine due to its high prevalence and the difficulties associated with diagnosing and treating fungal skin infections. According to the WHO, about 25% of the world’s population suffers from dermatophytosis, and in 30—70% of adults these diseases may be asymptomatic. The problem of fungal diseases is caused by the diversity of transmission routes, the high resistance of pathogens in the external environment, and the individual characteristics of the patient’s immune response. In recent years, there has been an increase in cases of dermatophyte resistance to antifungal drugs. Objective. To examine the epidemiological situation on fungal skin diseases in the Russian Federation for 2020—2024. Materials and methods. The study used data from the annual reporting forms of federal statistical monitoring № 9 (“Information on sexually transmitted infections and contagious skin diseases”) and the “Resources and activities of medical organizations specializing in dermatovenereology. Incidence of sexually transmitted infections, contagious skin diseases and skin diseases in 2024: statistical materials” collection. Statistical and analytical research methods were used for this work. Results. In the Russian Federation, the incidence of dermatophytosis increased by 11.0% between 2020 and 2024. During the five-year observation period, the epidemiological process was characterized by instability and pronounced wave-like dynamics. The incidence rate among women was 10.5% higher than among men. In 2024, the incidence rate among children aged 0—17 years exceeded this indicator among adults by 16.2%, and the incidence rate among the urban population was 2.2 times higher than the incidence rate among the rural population. Conclusion. To improve laboratory diagnosis of dermatomycoses, a paradigm shift, involving the active implementation and widespread use of molecular biology methods in clinical practice, followed by a transition to mass-spectrometric analysis, is needed. At the same time, it is necessary to organize an integrated system for monitoring and screening identification of pathogens, combining the efforts of all involved agencies, as well as to develop standardized protocols for diagnosis and epidemiological surveillance.