As of November 2021, several SARS‐CoV‐2 variants appeared and became dominant epidemic strains in many countries, including five variants of concern (VOCs) Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron defined by the World Health Organization during the COVID‐19 pandemic. As of August 2022, Omicron is classified into five main lineages, BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5 and some sublineages (BA.1.1, BA.2.12.1, BA.2.11, BA.2.75, BA.4.6) ( https://www.gisaid.org/ ). Compared to the previous VOCs (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta), all the Omicron lineages have the most highly mutations in the spike protein, and with 50 mutations accumulated throughout the genome. Early data indicated that Omicron BA.2 sublineage had higher infectivity and more immune escape than the early wild‐type (WT) strain, the previous VOCs, and BA.1. Recently, global surveillance data suggest a higher transmissibility of BA.4/BA.5 than BA.1, BA.1.1 and BA.2, and BA.4/BA.5 is becoming dominant strain in many countries globally.

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Tinea capitis remains a common public health problem worldwide, especially in developing countries. Objectives To investigate the changes of the predominant dermatophytes of tinea capitis in children in Hangzhou in recent 9 years. Methods The age, gender and pathogen spectrum of 650 children with tinea capitis at the Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Third People's Hospital of Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University from 2011 to 2019 were analysed, and the distribution of pathogens from 1998 to 2000 was compared. Results Among the 650 cases, 340 cases (48.2%) were males and 310 cases (51.8%) were females. The main population infected with tinea capitis was children aged 0–10 years (620 cases, 95.4%). From 2011 to 2019, the predominant dermatophyte was changed from Trichophyton violaceum (2011) to Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex (2012‐2015) and later to Microsporum canis (2016‐2019). In the past 9 years, M. canis (250 cases, 38.5%) was the most common dermatophyte and followed by T mentagrophytes complex (209 cases, 32.2%). The dermatophyte spectrum was statistically different between the years 2011 and 2019 (Chi square: χ2 = 69.75, P < .05), and the differences in anthropophilic and zoophilic pathogens between 1989‐2000 and 2011‐2019 were statistically significant (χ2 = 24.4, P < .05). Conclusions Research showed that children diagnosed with tinea capitis were mainly 0‐10 years old. With age, the percentage of anthropophilic dermatophytes gradually increased, while the percentage of zoophilic dermatophytes decreased. M. canis was the predominant dermatophyte of tinea capitis in children, followed by T. mentagrophytes complex. The dermatophytes have shifted from anthropophilic to zoophilic dermatophytes in the past two decades.