Scabies and impetigo in Timor-Leste: A school screening study in two districts

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Dermatology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Scabies and impetigo are significant, often overlooked, skin conditions in developing nations.
• Limited epidemiological data exists for scabies and impetigo in Timor-Leste.
• These conditions can lead to severe sequelae like cellulitis, nephritis, and rheumatic heart disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of scabies and impetigo among school students in Timor-Leste.
• To identify risk factors associated with these skin conditions in urban and rural settings.
• To inform public health strategies for prevention and treatment.

Main Methods:

• An epidemiological study was conducted in October 2016, involving 1396 school students in Dili (urban) and Ermera (rural).
• Data collection included questionnaires, anthropometry, and clinical skin examinations.
• Prevalence was calculated, and risk factor associations were analyzed using relative risks, confidence intervals, and logistic regression.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of scabies was 22.4% and active impetigo was 9.7%.
• Students in rural Ermera had a significantly higher prevalence of scabies (32.0%) compared to urban Dili (5.2%).
• No urban-rural difference was observed for active impetigo; however, malnutrition and stunting were more common in Ermera.

Conclusions:

• Scabies and impetigo are common in Timor-Leste, with a notably high prevalence of scabies in rural Ermera.
• Urgent improvements in prevention and treatment strategies are necessary.
• Interventions should prioritize rural areas with the highest disease burden.