Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-wg55d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-03T00:14:14.466Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Use of Ivermectin to Treat an Institutional Outbreak of Scabies in a Low-Resource Setting

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Coralith Garcia*
Affiliation:
Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
David Iglesias
Affiliation:
Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
Angélica Terashima
Affiliation:
Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
Marco Canales
Affiliation:
Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
Eduardo Gotuzzo
Affiliation:
Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
*
Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Av. Honorio Delgado 430, Urb. Ingenieria, Lima 41, Peru (03345@ upch.edu.pe)

Abstract

In a limited-resource hospital in Lima, Peru, 23 (63.9%) of 36 healthcare workers developed pruritus and/or skin lesions after contact with a patient with classic scabies. Of these 23, a total of 5 healthcare workers had scabies confirmed by microscopy. Oral ivermectin was used to control the outbreak effectively.

Type
Poverty and Human Development: Concise Communications
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Andersen, BM, Haugen, H, Rasch, M, Heldal Haugen, A, Tageson, A. Outbreak of scabies in Norwegian nursing homes and home care patients: control and prevention. J Hosp Infect 2000;45:160164.Google Scholar
2.de Beer, G, Miller, MA, Tremblay, L, Monette, J. An outbreak of scabies in a long-term care facility: the role of misdiagnosis and the costs associated with control. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2006;27:517518.Google Scholar
3.Jack, M. Scabies outbreak in an extended care unit—a positive outcome. Can J Infect Control 1993;8:1113.Google Scholar
4.Vorou, R, Remoudaki, HD, Maltezou, HC. Nosocomial scabies. J Hosp Infect 2007;65:914.Google Scholar
5.Pan American Health Organization. Available at: http://www.paho.org/. Accessed: September 25, 2007.Google Scholar
6.Walton, S, Currie, B. Problems in diagnosing scabies, a global disease in human and animal populations. Clin Microbiol Rev 2007;20:268279.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Scheninfeld, N. Controlling scabies in institutional settings: a review of medications, treatment models, and implementation. Am J Clin Dermatol 2004;5:3137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Del Giudice, P. Ivermectin in scabies. Curr Opin Infect Dis 2002;15 123126Google Scholar
9.Elgart, GW, Meinking, TL. Ivermectin. Dermatol Clin 2003;21:277282.Google Scholar
10.Barkwell, R, Shields, S. Deaths associated with ivermectin treatment of scabies. Lancet 1997;349:11441145.Google Scholar
11.Heukelbach, J, Winter, B, Wilcke, T, et al. Selective mass treatment with ivermectin to control intestinal helminthiases and parasitic skin diseases in a severely affected population. Bull World Health Organ 2004;82 563571Google Scholar