[Nosocomial scabies outbreak]

A scabies outbreak is reported which appeared in the Inpatient Pneumology Department in a 500-bed hospital. The outbreak began after the admission of a 90-year old woman referred from a nursing home. A total of 27 secondary cases occurred among health care personnel (14) and patients (13); other 7 cases of likely scabies occurred among 198 contacts. Patients were treated with 5% permetrine cream, in three applications one week apart from each other. It was also applied as prophylaxis in non involved patients in a single application. A discussion follows on the medical and preventive recommendations to control the spreading of these outbreak.