The prevalence of scabies in Monrovia, Liberia: A population-based survey

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2020 Dec 7;14(12):e0008943. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008943. eCollection 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Scabies is known to be a public health problem in many settings but the majority of recent data is from rural settings in the Pacific. There is a need for high quality data from sub-Saharan Africa and peri-urban settings to inform scale up of scabies control efforts. There have been anecdotal reports of scabies being a public health problem in Liberia but robust data are lacking. We conducted a cross-sectional cluster-randomised prevalence survey for scabies in a peri-urban community in Monrovia, Liberia in February-March 2020. Participants underwent a standardised examination conducted by trained local health care workers. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed using age-appropriate versions of the dermatology life quality index (DLQI). Prevalence estimates were calculated accounting for clustering at community and household levels and associations with key demographic variables assessed through multivariable random-effects logistic regression. 1,318 participants from 477 households were surveyed. The prevalence of scabies was 9.3% (95% CI: 6.5-13.2%), across 75 (19.7%) households; impetigo or infected scabies prevalence was 0.8% (95% CI: 0.4-1.9%). The majority (52%) of scabies cases were classified as severe. Scabies prevalence was lower in females and higher in the youngest age group; no associations were found with other collected demographic or socio-economic variables. DLQI scores indicated a very or extremely large effect on HRQoL in 29% of adults and 18% of children diagnosed with scabies. Our study indicates a substantial burden of scabies in this peri-urban population in Liberia. This was associated with significant impact on quality of life, highlighting the need for action to control scabies in this population. Further work is needed to assess the impact of interventions in this context on both the prevalence of scabies and quality of life.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Community Health Planning
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Impetigo / epidemiology
  • Liberia / epidemiology
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Quality of Life
  • Rural Population
  • Scabies / epidemiology*
  • Scabies / veterinary
  • Scabies / virology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Urban Population
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

The work was supported by an Academy of Medical Sciences grant to MM (reference SGL021\1049) and the Roger Harman African Travelling Fellowship of the British Association of Dermatologists to SW. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.