Epidemiology

No racial or gender predilection exists for adults. However, children are twice as likely as adults to develop peri-orbital and orbital cellulitis. In children, males are twice as likely to develop the condition as females.[1][2]​ Peri-orbital cellulitis is more common than orbital cellulitis.[3]​ Before the routine use of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccination, the incidence of peri-orbital cellulitis associated with Hib bacteraemia was reported to be as high as 80%.[4] Since the introduction of the Hib vaccination, this is extremely rare.[4]​ Orbital cellulitis is more common in winter months worldwide because of the increased risk of sinusitis.[5]​​ Estimates of incidence of orbital cellulitis in children range from 1.6 to 9.29 per 100,000 population depending on setting.[6][7][8]​​

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