Crusted scabies: alias Norwegian scabies.
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A house-to-house survey for scabies was done in a semiurban area with a population of 1727 from 273 families in 253 households, to study the sociocultural and environmental factors in families with scabies. It was found that sleeping habits, overcrowding for sleeping space and sharing of clothes, towel, etc, were significantly associated with scabies. There was no significant correlation between the size of family and the number of persons infected with scabies per family. The prevalence of scabies within the families was almost the same either with good hygiene, satisfactory hygiene or unsatisfactory hygiene. The factors significantly associated with the disease were observed to be more frequent among Christian families than among Hindus and were thought to be responsible for higher prevalence of the disease within the Christian families.
Norwegian scabies in two female homozygous twins, 12 years of age, was observed. Both children were in good psychosomatical condition. Clinical signs of Norwegian scabies with appearance of verrucous and keratotic papules on the dorsal aspect of hands, elbows and knees appeared after a year of persisting typical scabies in their family. Serum vitamin A concentration was lowered. The pathogenesis of the disease is discussed. The long-standing typical scabies is thought to be a promoting factor for manifestation of the latent and hereditary predisposition to keratotic reaction of the skin.
The successful experience in eradicating a large outbreak of scabies in an underdeveloped Arabic village community in Western Galilee of about 3,000 people is reviewed. In this village the number of cases of scabies increased over a five-year period to a maximum of 22 per cent of the entire village population, representing 66 per cent of all the families. A seven-person health team with a strong background in health education was entrusted with the task of eradicating scabies in the community. A plan, conceived and carried out by the team, consisted of four phases: data gathering, information giving, treatment, and evaluation and summary. The goal of eradicating scabies in this community was achieved. The strategy of the campaign emphasized the following points: the entire community was the target group and was involved maximally throughout the campaign; the professional responsibility was concentrated in the hands of the team.
The second reported case of Norwegian scabies in an immunosuppressed patient is presented. This uncommon fulminant form of scabies is difficult to diagnose and may give rise to numerous secondary cases of routine scabies. Because of the current widespread use of immunosuppressive medication, it is believed that an increasing number of cases of Norwegian scabies will be seen and that an increased awareness on the part of clinicians will be necessary in order to diagnose such cases early in their course before numerous hospital personnel are infested.
A survey of skin diseases was carried out in pre-school children in five Ujamaa villages in Rufiji district and 532 children (5.3% of the total population) were screened. The results showed that scabies was the commonest skin problem affecting 31% of the children. Primary pyoderma and fungal infections were relatively less common and accounted for 7.0 and 2.4% respectively. Staphylococcus aureus, Group A beta haemolytic streptococci and Corynebacterium diphteriae were the commonest pathogeneic bacteria isolated from both infected scabies and primary pyoderma. Tinea capitis was similarly the commonest fungal infection and Microsporium audouinii was the main pathogen. The high prevalence of scabies was attributed to poor hygiene, overcrowding with intimate personal contact. The low prevalence of pyoderma was due to the fact that we did not include secondarily infected scabies and eczema amongst the cases of pyoderma.
The scabies epidemy being observed since 1965, had developed from persistent endemic centres and pursues continuous the cyclic course of the scabies humanis in periods of 15 to 20 years. The intracutaneous tests with antigens of Notoedres alepis show a cross antigenity with the antigens of Sarcoptes scabiei and a sensibility of patients suffering from scabies. These tests have a diagnostical value. The antigens of Notoedres alepis are free of antigens from human epidermis.--The results support the theory of immunity for the interpretation of the cyclic course of the scabies, whereas wars and social and hygienic nuisances only have a modifying influence, and promiscuity, Sarcoptotoxicity of environment and others have no deciding importance.
An epidemiologic survey was conducted in a population of 1,727 persons living in 253 households in a semiurban area of Goa, India. The prevalence of scabies was 9.7% by persons, 22.5% by households and 22.8% by families. Prevalence of scabies was highly associated with age. The highest prevalence (23.7%) was in school-age children. Prevalence was higher for females than males age 25 or older, but there was no significant difference in prevalence by sex for all ages. Prevalence rate by persons was approximately the same in Hindus and Christians but prevalence rate between families was higher for Hindus, although prevalence within families was higher for Crhistians. First to contact scabies in the family was generally a school child.
242 patients with scabies were examined for gonorrhoea at the Municipal Hospital of Copenhagen over a one-year period. We found asymptomatic gonorrhoea in 2% of the male patients and 12%. of the female patients. The incidence of gonorrhoea in female patients with scabies is thus higher than in other routinely examined groups of patients (Andersen and Nielsen, 1974; Gregersen, 1972; Hansen and Lange, 1973; Nielsen, 1974; Starck, Bygdeman, Eriksson, Heinerz, and Moberg, )971). Our suggestion is that all patients with scabies, male as well as female, should be examined routinely for gonorrhoea.
Fifty hospitalized infants and small children in the age-group of 3 months to 2 years admitted with scabies were treated with 5 applications of either 10% crotamiton cream or lotion on consecutive days. In this trial, the second to be performed exclusively in infants and young children, an improvement in itching was observed in all patients within 3 days of starting the treatment and the examination on Day 7 showed absence of skin lesions in all patients. Crotamiton cream as well as lotion rendered a 100% cure rate. All patients, including those having secondary pyoderma and/or eczematization tolerated the treatment with crotamiton cream and lotion well and no adverse reactions, either due to the topical application or to the transcutaneous systemic absorption of crotamiton, were reported. Post-treatment laboratory investigations did not reveal any unwanted effect due to transcutaneous systemic absorption of crotamiton on the blood, kidneys or liver. Crotamiton is the only scabicide available today which displays not only antiprurtic but also marked antibacterial properties. It is especially indicated in the treatment of scabies in children as they are very prone to secondary bacterial infection following scratching. In view of its good efficacy and excellent tolerability the 5-application treatment schedule, with crotamiton cream applied to the whole body from the chin downward, can therefore be recommended as an optimum form of treatment for scabies in infants and young children.
Denmark is the only country in which scabies has been reported for many decades. The present study is based on 850,629 cases reported between 1900 and 1975. The incidence of scabies showed pronounced peaks around 1918 and 1945. Since the end of the 1960s, a new increase in incidence has been observed. The rates were high and rather uniform among infants, children, and young adults. Before puberty, the rate for girls was on an average 1.4 times higher than for boys. Scabies showed the same incidence in the capital as in the provinces, and marked seasonal variations occurred, with a winter maximum and a summer minimum. No single factor could be identified to explain the cyclic occurrence in time, the sex and age pattern, and the seasonal variation. These patterns probably have a multifactorial genesis!
During the last quarter of 1976, a nosocomial outbreak of scabies occurred in a 558-bed community teaching hospital. There had been scattered reports of scabies throughout Michigan for nearly a year prior to this outbreak. The epidemic spread of scabies from a patient to 38 hospital employees and their families and associates was identified from historical, clinical, and microscopic skin preparation data.
The histologic findings in the papular, vesicular, nodular, and Norwegian variant of scabies have in common a superficial and deep perivascular mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate of lymphocytes, histiocytes, and numerous eosinophils. A spongiotic vesicle occurs in the papulovesicular type, a dense cellular infiltrate in the nodular type, and a hyperkeratotic psoriasiform dermatitis in the Norwegian type. Eggs, larvae, and adult mites are abundant in the cornified layer of Norwegian scabies, are practically never found in biopsy specimens from lesions of nodular scabies, and are discovered only episodically in papulovesicular lesions.
Norwegian scabies is an unusual Sarcoptes scabiei infestation. It has been reported often in patients who are either severely debilitated or who have congenital or iatrogenic suppression of their immune responses. We report the occurence of Norwegian scabies in a 13-year-old boy with Bloom's syndrome who had impaired humoral and cell-mediated immunity.
Scabies contracted during the neonatal period demonstrates a distinct clinical pattern that differs greatly from manifestations seen in older individuals. Involvement of the face, neck, scalp, palms, and soles is a consistent finding, as is the tendency for these lesions to form pustules early in the course of the infestation. Poor feeding and failure to gain weight appropriately are also characteristic features. The skin lesions include erythematous papules, nodular crusts, and putules. The possibility of scabies should be entertained for any young infant who has these findings. Scrapings should be obtained from multiple sites to confirm the diagnosis. In the absence of positive findings for scrapings, examination of close contacts and a careful history should lead to the correct diagnosis.
We are in the midst of a pandemic of scabies. Classic scabies is seen less frequently in the current cycle. The infestation frequently occurs in special forms, the differential diagnosis of which includes nearly every pruritic dermatosis. The cause of the current pandemic is not clear but there is evidence that immunologic factors, particularly delayed hypersensitivity, play a principal role. The diagnosis should be made with certainty, preferably by identifying the mite prior to instituting therapy. The modern scabicides are highly effective. A recent re-evaluation of the risk-benefit relationships of lindane has led to altered therapeutic routines.
Scabies, caused by the itch mite and transmitted by skin-to-skin contact, is being seen in pandemic proportion. In the United States this infestation is seen in patients of all ages and socioeconomic levels. Scabies is often misdiagnosed, and the classic form occurs less frequently in the current cycle. Differential diagnosis includes most pruritic dermatoses. Diagnosis should be made with certainity, preferably by identification of the mite, before therapy is begun. Modern scabicides are high effective.