Study of scabies in Tikrit Teaching Hospital (clinical, parasitological, and immunological aspect)

Abstract

A distinctive problem has been observed for last few years with increased numbers of patients who attend dermatology; with suspected scabies. This has encouraged us to conduct this study, to evaluate its clinical, parasitological, and some immunological aspect. The total numbers of suspected patients with scabies were five hundred; one hundred from them were enrolled in this study in the Tikrit Teaching Hospital, Department of Dermatology from October 2008 to April 2008. They were fully interrogated and examined. The study also includes the estimation of IgE and eosinophilia in 30 patients in compares with control group. The study showed that this disease affects males (53%), more than females (47%), was more common in children's and adults than elderly. The first patient (primary cases) who got scabies was fathers (69%), than mothers (18%). The source of infestations was from prison (60%), military (17%), and relatives (15%). The clinical forms were classical types (78%), then atypical forms (20%), and Norwegian cases (2%). The IgE and eosinophilia were higher in the patients than control group. From the present study appears that scabies tends to affect younger age group, the frequency decreased in older age. Ordinary scabies was the commonest type but other forms also seen especially atypical cases and Norwegian form. Prisoners and military personal were the main source of infestations. Allergic sensitivity to the mite or its products appears to play an important role in determining the development of the disease.