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High prevalence of scabies in Auckland pre-schools
Simon Thornley1, Gerhard Sundborn2, Daniel Engelman3
1Senior Lecturer, Section of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Insights
Scabies is common in Auckland childcare centers, with over half of children showing signs. This highlights the need for better scabies diagnosis and management in early childhood settings.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Dermatology
- Public Health
Background:
- Scabies diagnosis is challenging, and its prevalence is underestimated.
- A link between scabies and severe childhood illnesses like acute rheumatic fever necessitates further research.
- Understanding scabies prevalence is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the prevalence of scabies in Auckland childcare centers.
- To investigate scabies in socio-economically challenged areas.
- To provide initial findings on scabies infestation in young children.
Main Methods:
- Examination of children in three childcare centers using International Alliance for the Control of Scabies (IACS) criteria.
- Inclusion of clinical examination for typical/atypical scabies lesions and patient history.
- Utilized quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for diagnostic confirmation.
Main Results:
- Over half (56.7%) of 67 examined children displayed scabies lesions (typical or atypical).
- 18% of children with available history met criteria for clinical or suspected scabies.
- qPCR testing revealed a 33% positive rate among 27 tested children.
Conclusions:
- Scabies prevalence is high in Auckland childcare centers, particularly in socio-economically challenged areas.
- Findings underscore the importance of early detection and management of scabies in childcare settings.
- Further studies are warranted to confirm these initial findings and inform control strategies.
Aim:
Scabies is a difficult disease to diagnose and its prevalence not well established. A strong association between scabies and more serious illnesses in children, for instance acute rheumatic fever, suggests greater understanding of scabies prevalence is warranted. Here, we present initial findings of a study of childcare centres, to estimate the prevalence of scabies in the Auckland community.
Methods:
Children in three childcare centres from socio-economically challenged areas were examined for scabies. Diagnoses were made according to the International Alliance for the Control of Scabies (IACS) criteria, whose "clinical" or "suspected" definition consists of examination findings of papules: either "typical" or "atypical" distribution, along with history features of itch and contact with likely other cases. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) test was also used.
Results:
A total of 67 children were examined, with over half (n=38 or 56.7%) showing signs of typical (14; 20.9%) or atypical (24; 35.8%) scabies lesions. History information was available for 50 children. Of these, nine (18%) met the criteria for "clinical" or "suspected" scabies. Of 27 qPCR tests performed nine (33%) tested positive.
Conclusion:
The prevalence of scabies is high in early childcare centres in socio-economically challenged areas of Auckland.
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