Table 1. Open in new tab Sex Differences...

Pathogen/Infection

Depending Measure Reference

Age, y

Sex Bias

Viral infections

RSV

Incidence [15]

0–2

M>F

Severity [15]

0–2

M>F

CMV

Severity [16]

Congenital

M<F

Incidence [16]

Congenital

M=F

Adenovirus

Incidence [17]

0–14

M>F

Incidence [17]

>14

M<F

Coxsackievirus

Incidence [17]

0–14

M>F

Incidence [17]

>14

M<F

HHV-6, HHV-7

Incidence

All

M<F

Measles

Protective immunity [18]

All

M<F

Incidence [19]

All

M>F

Severity [20]

All

M<F

Mortality [20]

All

M<F

Complications [21, 22]

All

M>F

Mumps

Incidence [17]

0–14

M>F

Protective immunity [23]

All

M<F

Complications [24]

All

M>F

VZV, chickenpox

Incidence [25]

0–14

M=F

VZV, chickenpox

Incidence [25]

15–24

M<F

VZV, shingles

Incidence [25]

>14

M<F

Parvovirus B19

Incidence [17]

M<F

HIV

CD4⁺ T-cell count [26, 27]

All

M<F

Viral load [27]

All

M<F

Bacterial infections

Tuberculosis

Incidence [28]

0–1, ≥20

M>F

Severity

0–1, ≥20

M>F

Group A streptococcal pharyngitis

Incidence [29]

All

M>F

Complications [30, 31]

All

M>F

Leptospirosis

Incidence [28]

M>>F

Incidence [28]

1–14

M>F

Incidence [28]

>14

M>>F

Botulism

Incidence

All

M>F

Brucellosis

Incidence

All

M>F

Meningococcal disease

Incidence [28]

0–4

M>F

Pneumococcal disease

Incidence [29]

All

M>F

Haemophilus Influenzae

Incidence

0–4

M>F

Pertussis

Incidence [32, 33]

All

M<F

Lower respiratory tract infections

Incidence [29]

All

M>F

Severity [29]

All

M>F

Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Incidence [17]

All

M<F

Parasitic infections

Leishmaniasis (cutaneous and visceral)

Incidence [28]

M>>F

Incidence [28]

1–14

M>F

Incidence [28]

>14

M>>F

Trypanosomiasis

Incidence

All

M>F

Chagas disease

Incidence

All

M>F

Schistosomiasis

Incidence [28]

All

M>F

Lymphatic filariasis

Incidence

All

M>F

Onchocerciasis

Incidence

All

M>F

Table 1.

Open in new tab

Sex Differences in Viral, Bacterial, and Parasitic Infections in Different age Groups^a

Pathogen/Infection	Depending Measure Reference	Age, y	Sex Bias
Viral infections
RSV	Incidence [15]	0–2	M>F
	Severity [15]	0–2	M>F
CMV	Severity [16]	Congenital	M<F
	Incidence [16]	Congenital	M=F
Adenovirus	Incidence [17]	0–14	M>F
	Incidence [17]	>14	M<F
Coxsackievirus	Incidence [17]	0–14	M>F
	Incidence [17]	>14	M<F
HHV-6, HHV-7	Incidence	All	M<F
Measles	Protective immunity [18]	All	M<F
	Incidence [19]	All	M>F
	Severity [20]	All	M<F
	Mortality [20]	All	M<F
	Complications [21, 22]	All	M>F
Mumps	Incidence [17]	0–14	M>F
	Protective immunity [23]	All	M<F
	Complications [24]	All	M>F
VZV, chickenpox	Incidence [25]	0–14	M=F
VZV, chickenpox	Incidence [25]	15–24	M<F
VZV, shingles	Incidence [25]	>14	M<F
Parvovirus B19	Incidence [17]	>2	M<F
HIV	CD4⁺ T-cell count [26, 27]	All	M<F
	Viral load [27]	All	M<F
Bacterial infections
Tuberculosis	Incidence [28]	0–1, ≥20	M>F
	Severity	0–1, ≥20	M>F
Group A streptococcal pharyngitis	Incidence [29]	All	M>F
	Complications [30, 31]	All	M>F
Leptospirosis	Incidence [28]	<1	M>>F
	Incidence [28]	1–14	M>F
	Incidence [28]	>14	M>>F
Botulism	Incidence	All	M>F
Brucellosis	Incidence	All	M>F
Meningococcal disease	Incidence [28]	0–4	M>F
Pneumococcal disease	Incidence [29]	All	M>F
Haemophilus Influenzae	Incidence	0–4	M>F
Pertussis	Incidence [32, 33]	All	M<F
Lower respiratory tract infections	Incidence [29]	All	M>F
	Severity [29]	All	M>F
Mycoplasma pneumoniae	Incidence [17]	All	M<F
Parasitic infections
Leishmaniasis (cutaneous and visceral)	Incidence [28]	<1	M>>F
	Incidence [28]	1–14	M>F
	Incidence [28]	>14	M>>F
Trypanosomiasis	Incidence	All	M>F
Chagas disease	Incidence	All	M>F
Schistosomiasis	Incidence [28]	All	M>F
Lymphatic filariasis	Incidence	All	M>F
Onchocerciasis	Incidence	All	M>F

Pathogen/Infection	Depending Measure Reference	Age, y	Sex Bias
Viral infections
RSV	Incidence [15]	0–2	M>F
	Severity [15]	0–2	M>F
CMV	Severity [16]	Congenital	M<F
	Incidence [16]	Congenital	M=F
Adenovirus	Incidence [17]	0–14	M>F
	Incidence [17]	>14	M<F
Coxsackievirus	Incidence [17]	0–14	M>F
	Incidence [17]	>14	M<F
HHV-6, HHV-7	Incidence	All	M<F
Measles	Protective immunity [18]	All	M<F
	Incidence [19]	All	M>F
	Severity [20]	All	M<F
	Mortality [20]	All	M<F
	Complications [21, 22]	All	M>F
Mumps	Incidence [17]	0–14	M>F
	Protective immunity [23]	All	M<F
	Complications [24]	All	M>F
VZV, chickenpox	Incidence [25]	0–14	M=F
VZV, chickenpox	Incidence [25]	15–24	M<F
VZV, shingles	Incidence [25]	>14	M<F
Parvovirus B19	Incidence [17]	>2	M<F
HIV	CD4⁺ T-cell count [26, 27]	All	M<F
	Viral load [27]	All	M<F
Bacterial infections
Tuberculosis	Incidence [28]	0–1, ≥20	M>F
	Severity	0–1, ≥20	M>F
Group A streptococcal pharyngitis	Incidence [29]	All	M>F
	Complications [30, 31]	All	M>F
Leptospirosis	Incidence [28]	<1	M>>F
	Incidence [28]	1–14	M>F
	Incidence [28]	>14	M>>F
Botulism	Incidence	All	M>F
Brucellosis	Incidence	All	M>F
Meningococcal disease	Incidence [28]	0–4	M>F
Pneumococcal disease	Incidence [29]	All	M>F
Haemophilus Influenzae	Incidence	0–4	M>F
Pertussis	Incidence [32, 33]	All	M<F
Lower respiratory tract infections	Incidence [29]	All	M>F
	Severity [29]	All	M>F
Mycoplasma pneumoniae	Incidence [17]	All	M<F
Parasitic infections
Leishmaniasis (cutaneous and visceral)	Incidence [28]	<1	M>>F
	Incidence [28]	1–14	M>F
	Incidence [28]	>14	M>>F
Trypanosomiasis	Incidence	All	M>F
Chagas disease	Incidence	All	M>F
Schistosomiasis	Incidence [28]	All	M>F
Lymphatic filariasis	Incidence	All	M>F
Onchocerciasis	Incidence	All	M>F

Abbreviations: CMV, cytomegalovirus; F, female; HHV, human herpesvirus; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; M, male; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; VZV, varicella-zoster virus.

^a Information has been extracted from epidemiological surveillance data published by the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the Japanese Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, and specific references as indicated.

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