Incidence and sociodemographic profile of scabies in paediatric patients attending secondary health care hospital

Abstract

Background: Scabies is essentially a disease of children. The incidence of scabies has been found to vary from time to time. The aboriginal population in all countries and in both rural and urban areas is particularly at risk because of a number of factors such as crowded housing, shared beds, and crowded schools, etc. Aim: To study incidence and sociodemographic profile of scabies in pediatric patients with different age groups attending secondary health care hospital. Material and Methods: This prospective study was conducted over a period of 8 months on paediatric patients with scabies attending Skin and Paediatric OPD. Family history, per capita income, literacy and hygiene history was noted. Results: Scabies was found in 164 (62.1%); 92 (34.8%) and 8 (3%) cases with economic states of poor; average and good respectively. Overcrowding was noted in 238 (90.2%) and was absent in (9.8%).More commonly associated inpatients with poor and average hygiene (99.5%) than in the good hygiene. Conclusion: The important predisposing factors were overcrowding and poor hygiene. It was common in poor economic group. Thus, improving the socioeconomic conditions, hygiene, avoiding overcrowding and proper treatment of cases and close contacts who are the sources of infection to children help in preventing scabies in children. Key Word: Children, scabies, poor socioeconomic group, overcrowding, hygiene *Address for Correspondence: Dr. Kishor G Rathod, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Government Medical College, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, INDIA. Email: balasaheb.suroshe@gmail.com Received Date: 10/02/2019 Revised Date: 13/03/2019 Accepted Date: 02/04/2019 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26611/10141012 INTRODUCTION Scabies is a commonly encountered cutaneous infestation caused by the human itch mite, Sarcoptesscabiei var hominis, an organism that was identified with the disease over 300 years ago.1It is a highly contagious infestation among close contacts and occurs in all ages. Although the presentation in adults follows a fairly distinctive pattern (but is also frequently missed), infants and young children have a more varied presentation and so are more easily misdiagnosed.2 It is essentially a disease of children. Among children, the prevalence is highest in the age group below 5 years. The incidence of scabies has been found to vary from time to time. There is a decreasing prevalence with increasing age.1 Though earlier workers had reported higher incidence in different sexes, more recent studies have shown that there is no preponderance in either sex.1,3 As human scabies is contracted mainly by direct human contact, a pruritic rash in a family member should be pursued, keeping in mind that only one half to two thirds of family members become clinically infected.4 The aboriginal population in all countries and in both rural and urban areas is particularly at risk because of a number of factors such as crowded housing, shared beds, and crowded schools and day care centers, high pediatric population, reduced access to medical or nursing care, failure to treat close contacts and lack of running water, which may predispose people to secondary skin infection. The present study was conducted to study incidence and Access this article online Quick Response Code: Website: