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BMC Infectious Diseases Mar 2024Annually, 175.4 million people are infected with scabies worldwide. Although parasitic infections are important nosocomial infections, they are unrecognized compared to...
BACKGROUND
Annually, 175.4 million people are infected with scabies worldwide. Although parasitic infections are important nosocomial infections, they are unrecognized compared to bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. In particular, nonspecific cutaneous manifestations of scabies lead to delayed diagnosis and frequent nosocomial transmission. Hospital-based studies on the risk factors for scabies have yet to be systematically reviewed.
METHODS
The study followed the PRISMA guidelines and was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023363278). Literature searches were conducted in three international (PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL) and four Korean (DBpia, KISS, RISS, and Science ON) databases. We included hospital-based studies with risk estimates calculated with 95% confidence intervals for risk factors for scabies infection. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Two authors independently performed the screening and assessed the quality of the studies.
RESULTS
A total of 12 studies were included. Personal characteristics were categorized into demographic, economic, residential, and behavioral factors. The identified risk factors were low economic status and unhygienic behavioral practices. Being a patient in a long-term care facility or institution was an important factor. Frequent patient contact and lack of personal protective equipment were identified as risk factors. For clinical characteristics, factors were categorized as personal health and hospital environment. People who had contact with itchy others were at higher risk of developing scabies. Patients with higher severity and those with a large number of catheters are also at increased risk for scabies infection.
CONCLUSIONS
Factors contributing to scabies in hospitals range from personal to clinical. We emphasize the importance of performing a full skin examination when patients present with scabies symptoms and are transferred from settings such as nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, to reduce the transmission of scabies. In addition, patient education to prevent scabies and infection control systems for healthcare workers, such as wearing personal protective equipment, are needed.
Topics: Humans; Scabies; Cross Infection; Nursing Homes; Hospitals; Risk Factors
PubMed: 38575893
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09167-6 -
International Journal of Infectious... Jun 2024Crusted scabies (CS, Norwegian scabies) is a severe form of scabies, characterized by hyper-infestation of Sarcoptes scabiei mites. CS is commonly associated with... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
Crusted scabies (CS, Norwegian scabies) is a severe form of scabies, characterized by hyper-infestation of Sarcoptes scabiei mites. CS is commonly associated with immunosuppression but is also reported in overtly immunocompetent individuals. We reviewed immunosuppressive risk factors and comorbidities associated with CS.
METHODS
The National Library of Medicine (PubMed) database was reviewed for patient case reports of CS from January 1998 to July 2023. Two authors screened records for eligibility, extracted data, and one critically appraised the quality of the studies.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO CRD42023466126.
RESULTS
A total of 436 records were identified, of which 204 were included for systematic review. From these, 683 CS patients were included. CS impacted both genders equally. Adults (21-59 years) were more commonly affected (45.5%) compared to children (0-20 years, 21%). Corticosteroid use was the most prevalent immunosuppressive risk factor identified (27.7% of all cases). About 10.2% of reports were associated with HIV/AIDS, and 8.5% with HTLV-1 infection. 10.5% of patients were overtly immunocompetent with no known risk factors. Overall, 41 (6.0%) died, many subsequent to secondary bacteremia.
CONCLUSION
This study represents the first systematic review undertaken on immunosuppressive risk factors associated with CS. This provides insights into trends of immunosuppression and mechanisms of CS development.
Topics: Scabies; Humans; Risk Factors; Comorbidity; Female; Male; Adult; Immunocompromised Host; Middle Aged; Young Adult; Adolescent; Child; Animals; Infant; Sarcoptes scabiei; HIV Infections; Child, Preschool; HTLV-I Infections; Immunosuppression Therapy; Infant, Newborn
PubMed: 38570134
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107036 -
International Journal For Parasitology.... Dec 2023Sarcoptic mange, caused by , is a disease that affects many species of mammals, including several wild ungulate species in the region of the European Alps, especially... (Review)
Review
Sarcoptic mange, caused by , is a disease that affects many species of mammals, including several wild ungulate species in the region of the European Alps, especially the Alpine chamois and the Alpine ibex, which act as parasite reservoirs. Here records of mange in alpine wild ungulates and its spread over time across the eastern parts of the European Alps are reviewed. First cases were recorded from Austria in 1824, and epizootic outbreaks have been described since then from the mountainous regions of Austria (mostly Tyrol, Carinthia, and Styria), Germany (Bavaria), Italy (Udine and Trentino) and Slovenia. Switzerland, by contrast, has so far been free of mange except for cases in wild boar, indicating that this species is not a reservoir host of sarcoptic mites for other ungulate species in the European Alps, and that, so far, the disease in ruminant ungulates is restricted to the eastern and central parts of the Alps. Mutual transmission among wild and domestic ruminants is possible and, together with the protection of vulnerable wildlife, is also a reason for monitoring and, if necessary, intervention to contain mange outbreaks.
PubMed: 37854272
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.10.003 -
Journal of Arthropod-borne Diseases Sep 2022Scabies is referred to the infestation of skin by an ectoparasite, . Having considerable financial consequences, this disease is a public health concern in several... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Scabies is referred to the infestation of skin by an ectoparasite, . Having considerable financial consequences, this disease is a public health concern in several countries. In this review, we aimed to determine the current status of scabies in different provinces of Iran.
METHODS
Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Scientific Information Database (SID), Sci-explore, Civilica, Magiran, Iranian Research Institute for Information Science and Technology and Elmnet databases were searched to find the related data in the time period within 2000-2022. To have a better insight into the status of prevalence of scabies in Iran, a meta-analysis and meta-regression was performed.
RESULTS
A total of 943 relevant studies were retrieved from the databases, and 62 eligible studies met all the needed criteria for inclusion in this systematic review. Scabies was investigated and reported in at least 22 and 21 provinces of Iran respectively. Most of the studies were conducted in Tehran, Razavi Khorasan, Hormozgan, Fars and Guilan Provinces. Positive samples of scabies belonged to humans, sheep, goats, dogs, rabbits, mice and gazelles. Meta-analysis showed that the overall estimated presence of scabies in Iran during 2000-2022 was 7% (95% CI 4.7-10.3%, P< 0.001).
CONCLUSION
Infestations due to in Iran occur in different geographical locations and different climates. As a neglected tropical disease, the literature about the burden of scabies in Iran is inadequate. The present review highlights the importance of development of comprehensive strategies for the diagnosis and control of scabies, especially the provinces with high infestation rates.
PubMed: 37056644
DOI: 10.18502/jad.v16i3.12034 -
Pharmaceutics Jul 2022Ectoparasites are pathogens that can infect the skin and cause immense pain, discomfort, and disease. They are typically managed with insecticides. However, the... (Review)
Review
Ectoparasites are pathogens that can infect the skin and cause immense pain, discomfort, and disease. They are typically managed with insecticides. However, the fast-emerging antimicrobial resistance and the slow rate of development of new bio-actives combined with environmental and health concerns over the continued use of neurotoxic insecticides warrant newer and alternative methods of control. Tea tree oil (TTO), as an alternative agent, has shown remarkable promise against ectoparasites in recent studies. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review to assess preclinical and clinical studies exploring the antiparasitic activity of TTO and its components against clinically significant ectoparasites, such as mites, scabies mites, house dust mites, lice, fleas, chiggers, and bed bugs. We systematically searched databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE (EBSCOhost), Embase (Scopus), CENTRAL, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, SciELO, and LILACS in any language from inception to 4 April 2022. Studies exploring the therapeutic activity of TTO and its components against the ectoparasites were eligible. We used the ToxRTool (Toxicological data reliability assessment) tool, the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools, and the Jadad scale to assess the methodological qualities of preclinical (in vitro and in vivo) studies, non-randomised controlled trials (including cohort, case series, and case studies), and randomised controlled trials, respectively. Of 497 identified records, 71 studies were included in this systematic review, and most (66%) had high methodological quality. The findings of this review revealed the promising efficacy of TTO and its components against ectoparasites of medical importance. Most importantly, the compelling in vitro activity of TTO against ectoparasites noted in this review seems to have translated well into the clinical environment. The promising outcomes observed in clinical studies provide enough evidence to justify the use of TTO in the pharmacotherapy of ectoparasitic infections.
PubMed: 36015213
DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14081587 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2022To perform a systematic review to describe the available findings on clinical outcomes in HIV-1 and HTLV-1/HTLV-2 co-infected individuals since 1995.
AIM
To perform a systematic review to describe the available findings on clinical outcomes in HIV-1 and HTLV-1/HTLV-2 co-infected individuals since 1995.
DESIGN
This Systematic Review used PECO criteria follow by PRISMA reporting guidelines and registered as CRD42021279062 (Prospero database). The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale assessed the methodological quality of included studies.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
A systematical search in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Sciences databases for cross-sectional, case-control, or cohort studies design to identify clinical and laboratorial outcomes related to HIV-1 and HTLV-1/2 coinfection. Search strategy: [("HIV-1" AND "HTLV-1" OR "HTLV-2") AND ("Coinfection") AND (1990/01/01:2021/12/31[Date- Publication])].
RESULTS
A total of 15 articles were included on this systematic review describing data of 2,566 mono and coinfected patients, 58% male, with mean age was 35.7 ± 5.7 years. HIV-1 and HTLV-1 coinfected patients were more likely to had shorter survival and faster progression to death or mortality than monoinfected ones. Coinfected had higher CD4 cell counts and less likelihood of ART use. In addition, higher frequency of diseases like ichthyosis (22.2 vs. 6.8%), scabies (18.6 vs. 0%), candidiasis (42 vs. 12%), Strongyloidiasis (15.4 vs. 2%) and neurological manifestations like encephalopathy, peripheral neuropathy and HAM/TSP were more frequently reported in coinfected patients.
CONCLUSIONS
HIV-1 and HTLV-1 coinfection and HIV-1 and HTLV-1 /2 triple coinfection were related to shorter survival, higher mortality rate, and faster progression to death, while coinfection by HIV-1/HTLV-2 seems to have neutral association with longer survival, slower AIDS progression, and lower mortality rate. The available evidence indicates an urgent need for prevention and control measures, including screening, diagnosis, and treatment of HIV-1 and HTLV-1/2 coinfected patients. Test-and-treat strategy for patients living with HIV in areas endemic for HTLV infection is mandatory, to avoid the risks of delayed therapy and death for coinfected patients.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42021279062.
Topics: Adult; Coinfection; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; HIV Infections; HIV-1; HTLV-I Infections; HTLV-II Infections; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; Human T-lymphotropic virus 2; Humans; Male
PubMed: 35359787
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.820727 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Mar 2022Preventative chemotherapy and mass drug administration have been identified as effective strategies for the prevention, treatment, control and elimination of several...
Community perceptions and acceptability of mass drug administration for the control of neglected tropical diseases in Asia-Pacific countries: A systematic scoping review of qualitative research.
BACKGROUND
Preventative chemotherapy and mass drug administration have been identified as effective strategies for the prevention, treatment, control and elimination of several NTDs in the Asia-Pacific region. Qualitative research can provide in-depth insight into the social dynamics and processes underlying effective implementation of and adherence to mass drug administration programs. This scoping review examines published qualitative literature to examine factors influencing community perceptions and acceptability of mass drug administration approaches to control NTDs in the Asia-Pacific region.
METHODOLOGY
Twenty-four peer reviewed published papers reporting qualitative data from community members and stakeholders engaged in the implementation of mass drug administration programs were identified as eligible for inclusion.
FINDINGS
This systematic scoping review presents available data from studies focussing on lymphatic filariasis, soil-transmitted helminths and scabies in eight national settings (India, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Laos, American Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Fiji). The review highlights the profoundly social nature of individual, interpersonal and institutional influences on community perceptions of willingness to participate in mass drug administration programs for control of neglected tropical diseases (NTD). Future NTD research and control efforts would benefit from a stronger qualitative social science lens to mass drug administration implementation, a commitment to understanding and addressing the social and structural determinants of NTDs and NTD control in complex settings, and efforts to engage local communities as equal partners and experts in the co-design of mass drug administration and other efforts to prevent, treat, control and eliminate NTDs.
CONCLUSION
For many countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the "low hanging fruit has been picked" in terms of where mass drug administration has worked and transmission has been stopped. The settings that remain-such as remote areas of Fiji and Papua New Guinea, or large, highly populated, multi-cultural urban settings in India and Indonesia-present huge challenges going forward.
Topics: Asia; Elephantiasis, Filarial; Humans; Mass Drug Administration; Neglected Diseases; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 35275932
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010215 -
BMC Public Health Feb 2022Floods have affected 2.3 billion people worldwide in the last 20 years, and are associated with a wide range of negative health outcomes. Climate change is projected...
BACKGROUND
Floods have affected 2.3 billion people worldwide in the last 20 years, and are associated with a wide range of negative health outcomes. Climate change is projected to increase the number of people exposed to floods due to more variable precipitation and rising sea levels. Vulnerability to floods is highly dependent on economic wellbeing and other societal factors. Therefore, this systematic review synthesizes the evidence on health effects of flood exposure among the population of sub-Saharan Africa.
METHODS
We systematically searched two databases, Web of Science and PubMed, to find published articles. We included studies that (1) were published in English from 2010 onwards, (2) presented associations between flood exposure and health indicators, (3) focused on sub-Saharan Africa, and (4) relied on a controlled study design, such as cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, or quasi-experimental approaches with a suitable comparator, for instance individuals who were not exposed to or affected by floods or individuals prior to experiencing a flood.
RESULTS
Out of 2306 screened records, ten studies met our eligibility criteria. We included studies that reported the impact of floods on water-borne diseases (n = 1), vector-borne diseases (n = 8) and zoonotic diseases (n = 1). Five of the ten studies assessed the connection between flood exposure and malaria. One of these five evaluated the impact of flood exposure on malaria co-infections. The five non-malaria studies focused on cholera, scabies, taeniasis, Rhodesian sleeping sickness, alphaviruses and flaviviruses. Nine of the ten studies reported significant increases in disease susceptibility after flood exposure.
CONCLUSION
The majority of included studies of the aftermath of floods pointed to an increased risk of infection with cholera, scabies, taeniasis, Rhodesian sleeping sickness, malaria, alphaviruses and flaviviruses. However, long-term health effects, specifically on mental health, non-communicable diseases and pregnancy, remain understudied. Further research is urgently needed to improve our understanding of the health risks associated with floods, which will inform public policies to prevent and reduce flood-related health risks.
Topics: Cholera; Cross-Sectional Studies; Floods; Humans; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Scabies; Taeniasis
PubMed: 35144560
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-12584-4 -
Clinical Infectious Diseases : An... Sep 2022Scabies is a neglected tropical disease of the skin that can lead to impetigo, serious secondary bacterial infections and immune-mediated diseases. Mass drug... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Scabies is a neglected tropical disease of the skin that can lead to impetigo, serious secondary bacterial infections and immune-mediated diseases. Mass drug administration (MDA) has been reported in several studies to reduce the prevalence of scabies and impetigo. We aimed to assess the efficacy of MDA for scabies on scabies and impetigo.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of reports on the impact of MDA on scabies and impetigo. We included randomized control trials and observational evaluations reported from January 1970 to April 2021 and involving human participants. We searched PubMed, Ovid Medline, Embase, and Cochrane. We considered MDA as treatment intended for the whole population, regardless of individual infection status or symptoms. The main outcome assessed was the change in scabies and impetigo prevalence following MDA. This review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020169839).
RESULTS
We identified 1110 records, of which 11 met inclusion criteria for the review and 9 were deemed suitable for meta-analysis for scabies and 4 for impetigo. Most studies were in small populations. There was a high degree of heterogeneity between studies (I2 value 96.19%). The overall relative reduction of the impact of MDA on scabies prevalence was 79%. The effect size was comparable for MDA based on ivermectin and permethrin. MDA for scabies also led to a reduction in impetigo prevalence with a relative reduction of 66%.
CONCLUSIONS
MDA for scabies is highly effective in reducing the prevalence of scabies and impetigo. Further research is needed to determine the durability of impact, and the effectiveness of MDA regimens in larger populations.
Topics: Humans; Impetigo; Ivermectin; Mass Drug Administration; Neglected Diseases; Permethrin; Scabies
PubMed: 35088849
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac042 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Jul 2021Crusted scabies is endemic in some remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia and carries a high mortality risk. Improvement in active...
BACKGROUND
Crusted scabies is endemic in some remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia and carries a high mortality risk. Improvement in active case detection (ACD) for crusted scabies is hampered by a lack of evidence about best practice. We therefore conducted a systematic review of ACD methods for leprosy, a condition with similar ACD requirements, to consider how findings could be informative to crusted scabies detection.
METHODS AND PRINCIPLE FINDINGS
We conducted systematic searches in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus and the Cochrane Database for Systematic Reviews for studies published since 1999 that reported at least one comparison rate (detection or prevalence rate) against which the yield of the ACD method could be assessed. The search yielded 15 eligible studies from 511. Study heterogeneity precluded meta-analysis. Contact tracing and community screening of marginalised ethnic groups yielded the highest new case detection rates. Rapid community screening campaigns, and those using less experienced screening personnel, were associated with lower suspect confirmation rates. There is insufficient data to assess whether ACD campaigns improve treatment outcomes or disease control.
CONCLUSION
This review demonstrates the importance of ACD campaigns in communities facing the highest barriers to healthcare access and within neighbourhoods of index cases. The potential benefit of ACD for crusted scabies is not quantified, however, lessons from leprosy suggest value in follow-up with previously identified cases and their close contacts to support for scabies control and to reduce the likelihood of reinfection in the crusted scabies case. Skilled screening personnel and appropriate community engagement strategies are needed to maximise screening uptake. More research is needed to assess ACD cost effectiveness, impact on disease control, and to explore ACD methods capable of capturing the homeless and highly mobile who may be missed in household centric models.
Topics: Australia; Humans; Leprosy; Scabies
PubMed: 34297724
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009577