Epidemiology

Cellulitis is a common condition. The Global Burden of Disease project estimated that 56 million cases of cellulitis (678.4 per 100,000 population) occurred in 2021, causing 28,900 deaths.[3]

Sex does not affect the rate, but increasing age is associated with a higher incidence.[3][4]​​​ In one study over a 12-month period from 2014 to 2015, the cellulitis hospitalization rate was 1100 per 100,000 in people ages 80 years and over, as opposed to 237 episodes per 100,000 in the general population.[5] Admissions for cellulitis consistently peak in summer months, with this seasonality observed in several countries.[6][7][8]​ Since the early 2000’s there has been an increase in visits for skin infection with community-associated MRSA; however, further analysis concluded this was mostly due to abscesses rather than cellulitis.[9][10][11]

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