Scabies coexisting with other dermatoses: the importance of recognizing multiple pathologies in resource-poor settings

Int J Dermatol. 2020 Dec;59(12):1502-1505. doi: 10.1111/ijd.15023. Epub 2020 Jul 8.

Abstract

Background: Background Skin Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are a group of ten diseases often co-endemic in African rural communities and characterized by primary skin involvement. If not diagnosed and treated promptly, they can lead to long-term disfigurement, disability, stigmatization, and socioeconomic loss. Scabies is a parasitic disease and it was added in 2017 to the World Health Organization's (WHO) list of NTDs. Skin NTDs comorbidities differ according to the local diseases burden and are associated to other poverty-related illnesses.

Methods: We report a case series of scabies and comorbidities in children from rural Ethiopia aimed at highlighting diagnostic challenges.

Results: We propose an epidemiological framework to the integrated skin NTDs approach at a community level.

Conclusion: This bottleneck approach may significantly reduce skin diseases burden in rural communities, prevent long-term disabilities, and contain costs.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Ethiopia
  • Global Health
  • Humans
  • Neglected Diseases / diagnosis
  • Neglected Diseases / epidemiology
  • Rural Population
  • Scabies* / diagnosis
  • Scabies* / epidemiology