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Mass Isolation and In Vitro Cultivation of Intramolluscan Stages of the Human Blood Fluke Schistosoma Mansoni
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Published on: January 14, 2018

Ivermectin as Mass Drug Administration for Scabies - The Need of the Hour

Satyaki Ganguly1, Parul Verma2, P Narsimha Rao3

  • 1Additional Professor, Department of Dermatology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India.

Indian Journal of Public Health
|June 22, 2026
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Scabies, a mite-caused skin disease, causes severe itching and secondary infections, especially in children. Mass ivermectin drug administration shows promise in reducing scabies and impetigo prevalence in small trials, but large-scale effectiveness remains unproven.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Scabies is a highly contagious skin infestation caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis.
  • It commonly affects children, leading to intense itching and sleep disturbances.
  • Secondary bacterial infections, such as impetigo, frequently complicate scabies infestations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize the current understanding of scabies transmission, clinical impact, and treatment options.
  • To review the evidence for mass drug administration of ivermectin in scabies control.
  • To highlight the need for large-scale studies on ivermectin's effectiveness.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on scabies epidemiology and treatment.
  • Analysis of findings from community-based trials on mass drug administration of ivermectin.
  • Assessment of the scalability of ivermectin treatment strategies.

Main Results:

  • Scabies infestation causes significant morbidity, including disabling itch and secondary infections.
  • Oral ivermectin and topical permethrin are established treatment options.
  • Small-scale trials indicate mass ivermectin administration can reduce scabies and impetigo prevalence.

Conclusions:

  • Scabies remains a significant public health concern, particularly in pediatric populations.
  • Mass drug administration of ivermectin presents a potential strategy for community-level scabies control.
  • Further large-scale research is required to validate the effectiveness and feasibility of widespread ivermectin use for scabies eradication.
Keywords:
Ivermectinmass drug administrationscabies

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