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PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases May 2024Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and acute rheumatic fever (ARF) disproportionately affect individuals in low-resource settings. ARF is attributed to an immune response to...
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and acute rheumatic fever (ARF) disproportionately affect individuals in low-resource settings. ARF is attributed to an immune response to Group A Streptococcus (GAS) following GAS pharyngitis and potentially GAS impetigo in which infection can be initiated by scabies infestation. The burden of ARF and RHD in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia is among the highest globally. Following recent calls to include dog management programs in ARF and RHD prevention programs, we believe it is timely to assess the evidence for this, particularly since previous recommendations excluded resources to prevent zoonotic canine scabies. While phylogenetic analyses have suggested that the Sarcoptes mite is host specific, they have differed in interpretation of the strength of their findings regarding species cross-over and the need for canine scabies control to prevent human itch. Given that there is also indication from case reports that canine scabies leads to human itch, we propose that further investigation of the potential burden of zoonotic canine scabies and intervention trials of canine scabies prevention on the incidence of impetigo are warranted. Considering the devastating impacts of ARF and RHD, evidence is required to support policy to eliminate all risk factors.
Topics: Animals; Scabies; Dogs; Humans; Dog Diseases; Rheumatic Heart Disease; Australia; Zoonoses; Impetigo; Streptococcus pyogenes; Streptococcal Infections; Risk Factors; Rheumatic Fever
PubMed: 38696362
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012115 -
International Journal of General... 2024To outline the clinical manifestations observed in patients with scabies misdiagnosed as generalized eczema, analyse the factors contributing to these misdiagnoses and...
OBJECTIVE
To outline the clinical manifestations observed in patients with scabies misdiagnosed as generalized eczema, analyse the factors contributing to these misdiagnoses and explore potential reasons for the resurgence of scabies.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
A retrospective analysis was performed to investigate the patients with scabies misdiagnosed as generalized eczema.
RESULTS
We included 23 patients, with twelve (52.17%) being male and eleven (47.83%) female. The illness duration ranged from 0.5 to 7 months. Among all patients, 12 (52.17%) were residents of nursing homes, 5 (21.74%) were staff members of these facilities, 4 (17.39%) were caregivers of long-term hospitalized relatives, 1 (4.35%) was a construction worker, and 1 (4.35%) had a history of tourism. The rash predominantly affected the trunk and extremities, 12 patients (52.17%) are each involved the perineum and fingers webbings. The presentations included erythema, papules, and nodules. The main complaint of all patients was nocturnal itch. Under direct microscopy, 5 patients (21.74%) tested positive for scabies mites, and 3 (13.04%) showed histopathological features consistent with scabies. All patients were initially misdiagnosed with generalized eczema.
CONCLUSION
Over half of all patients diagnosed with scabies either resided or worked in long-term care facilities. The lack of awareness of scabies among medical staff in long-term care facilities readily led to frequent misdiagnosis. Comprehensive measures should be implemented urgently to strengthen disease management.
PubMed: 38690199
DOI: 10.2147/IJGM.S458731 -
Clinical Case Reports May 2024Crusted scabies is a severe form of scabies infestation caused by the ectoparasite Sarcoptes scabiei. Risk factors include immunosuppression, neuropathies, and...
Crusted scabies is a severe form of scabies infestation caused by the ectoparasite Sarcoptes scabiei. Risk factors include immunosuppression, neuropathies, and psychiatric disorders. Its management poses important challenges due to its contagius nature. Here we present a case or Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis secondary to Ivermectin therapy in a patient with crusted scabies.
PubMed: 38689688
DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.8854 -
IJID Regions Jun 2024This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of infestation and its associated factors among primary school children (PSC) in the Rufiji district.
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of infestation and its associated factors among primary school children (PSC) in the Rufiji district.
METHODS
A quantitative school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 447 PSC in the Rufiji district. The prevalence of scabies among PSC was determined by clinical examination and by microscopic examination of skin samples for the presence of . A structured questionnaire was used to gather data on factors associated with infestation. Descriptive analysis, Fisher's exact, chi-square tests, and logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the data.
RESULTS
The prevalence of scabies was 2.0%. Of the assessed factors, only physical contact with a person having itchy skin lesions (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]=4.04, 95%CI 4.39-12.50) and infrequency of changing clothes before laundry (AOR=2.99, 95%CI 1.35-4.94) were significantly associated with scabies. The majority of participants demonstrated low levels of knowledge, with half exhibiting poor attitudes and inappropriate healthcare-seeking behaviors.
CONCLUSIONS
There was an ongoing transmission of scabies among PSC in the Rufiji district, with the factors associated with the transmission being physical contact with a person who had an itchy skin lesion and the infrequency of changing clothes before laundry. Therefore, there is a need for regular clinical screening and treatment of positive cases with preventive measures on contact and provision of health education.
PubMed: 38680841
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2024.100365 -
Journal of Personalized Medicine Mar 2024Scabies is a neglected tropical disease and represents a considerable global burden. Although consensus diagnostic criteria for scabies have been recently published,...
Scabies is a neglected tropical disease and represents a considerable global burden. Although consensus diagnostic criteria for scabies have been recently published, diagnosing scabies infestation remains challenging in clinical practice. We investigated the diagnostic utility of complete blood cell count (CBC) and CBC-derived ratios obtained at diagnosis in a set of 167 patients who are Vietnamese with confirmed scabies. These parameters were compared with those of patients with dermatophytosis (N = 800) and urticaria (N = 2023), two diseases frequent in Vietnam, which can present with similar skin manifestations to scabies and tend to pose a diagnostic challenge in vulnerable populations. Our analysis revealed that white blood cell, monocyte, and eosinophil counts were significantly higher among patients with scabies than the other two diseases. Similarly, the monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and eosinophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (ELR) were significantly higher among patients with scabies. The optimal cut-off values to distinguish scabies from dermatophytosis and urticaria were 0.094 for ELR (sensitivity: 74.85%, specificity: 70.7%) and 0.295 for MLR (sensitivity: 52.69%, specificity: 73.54%). CBC, ELR, and MLR are low-cost and easily calculated parameters that may be helpful for the diagnosis of scabies.
PubMed: 38673000
DOI: 10.3390/jpm14040373 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024We conducted a two-year retrospective evaluation of infants aged under two years with a confirmed, clinical, or suspected diagnosis of scabies in a healthcare center in...
We conducted a two-year retrospective evaluation of infants aged under two years with a confirmed, clinical, or suspected diagnosis of scabies in a healthcare center in Alicante (Spain) to determine possible factors associated with diagnostic delay and poor treatment response. We collected epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, and treatment variables. After describing our findings as mean values and percentages, we compared categorical variables using the Student's -test and the Mann-Whitney U test, and we compared continuous variables with the Chi test and Pearson's correlation coefficient. We included 51 infants (19 boys and 32 girls) with a mean age of 15 months. The main source of contagion was the family; half of the infants lived with four or more people. According to the International Consensus Criteria for the Diagnosis of Scabies, confirmed scabies was diagnosed in 45% of cases and clinical scabies in 47%, and 45% of cases had a diagnostic delay. Lesions mainly affected the hands, feet, and trunk, with papules in 92% of cases and burrows in 55%. The predominant symptoms were pruritus (94%) and irritability (69%). Regarding treatment, 98% of the infants received topical permethrin and 35% received oral ivermectin. Treatment failed in 76% of infants. Living in large family units was associated with a higher risk of contagion and therapeutic failure. Diagnostic delay was associated with previous misdiagnosis.
PubMed: 38671660
DOI: 10.3390/children11040443 -
Parasites & Vectors Apr 2024Sarcoptic mange is a serious animal welfare concern in bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus). Fluralaner (Bravecto) is a novel acaricide that has recently been utilised...
BACKGROUND
Sarcoptic mange is a serious animal welfare concern in bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus). Fluralaner (Bravecto) is a novel acaricide that has recently been utilised for treating mange in wombats. The topical 'spot-on' formulation of fluralaner can limit treatment delivery options in situ, but dilution to a volume for 'pour-on' delivery is one practicable solution. This study investigated the in vitro acaricidal activity of Bravecto, a proposed essential oil-based diluent (Orange Power), and two of its active constituents, limonene and citral, against Sarcoptes scabiei.
METHODS
Sarcoptes scabiei were sourced from experimentally infested pigs. In vitro assays were performed to determine the lethal concentration (LC) and survival time of the mites when exposed to varying concentrations of the test solutions.
RESULTS
All compounds were highly effective at killing mites in vitro. The LC values of Bravecto, Orange Power, limonene and citral at 1 h were 14.61 mg/ml, 4.50%, 26.53% and 0.76%, respectively. The median survival times of mites exposed to undiluted Bravecto, Orange Power and their combination were 15, 5 and 10 min, respectively. A pilot survival assay of mites collected from a mange-affected wombat showed survival times of < 10 min when exposed to Bravecto and Orange Power and 20 min when exposed to moxidectin.
CONCLUSIONS
These results confirm the acaricidal properties of Bravecto, demonstrate acaricidal properties of Orange Power and support the potential suitability of Orange Power and its active constituents as a diluent for Bravecto. As well as killing mites via direct exposure, Orange Power could potentially enhance the topical delivery of Bravecto to wombats by increasing drug penetration in hyperkeratotic crusts. Further research evaluating the physiochemical properties and modes of action of Orange Power and its constituents as a formulation vehicle would be of value.
Topics: Animals; Sarcoptes scabiei; Acaricides; Isoxazoles; Scabies; Plant Oils; Acyclic Monoterpenes; Swine; Limonene; Terpenes; Cyclohexenes; Lethal Dose 50
PubMed: 38664829
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06275-9 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2024Mites are highly prevalent arthropods that infest diverse ecological niches globally. Approximately 55,000 species of mites have been identified but many more are yet to... (Review)
Review
Mites are highly prevalent arthropods that infest diverse ecological niches globally. Approximately 55,000 species of mites have been identified but many more are yet to be discovered. Of the ones we do know about, most go unnoticed by humans and animals. However, there are several species from the Acariformes superorder that exert a significant impact on global human health. House dust mites are a major source of inhaled allergens, affecting 10-20% of the world's population; storage mites also cause a significant allergy in susceptible individuals; chiggers are the sole vectors for the bacterium that causes scrub typhus; mites are part of the normal microfauna of humans and their pets, but under certain conditions populations grow out of control and affect the integrity of the integumentary system; and scabies mites cause one of the most common dermatological diseases worldwide. On the other hand, recent genome sequences of mites provide novel tools for mite control and the development of new biomaterial with applications in biomedicine. Despite the palpable disease burden, mites remain understudied in parasitological research. By better understanding mite biology and disease processes, researchers can identify new ways to diagnose, manage, and prevent common mite-induced afflictions. This knowledge can lead to improved clinical outcomes and reduced disease burden from these remarkably widespread yet understudied creatures.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Arthropods; Biocompatible Materials; Cost of Illness; Ecosystem; Hypersensitivity
PubMed: 38612486
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073675 -
Cureus Mar 2024Ivermectin was first discovered in the 1970s by Japanese microbiologist Satoshi Omura and Irish parasitologist William C. Campbell. Ivermectin has become a versatile... (Review)
Review
Ivermectin was first discovered in the 1970s by Japanese microbiologist Satoshi Omura and Irish parasitologist William C. Campbell. Ivermectin has become a versatile pharmaceutical over the past 50 years. Ivermectin is a derivative of avermectin originally used to treat parasitic infections. Emerging literature has suggested that its role goes beyond this and may help treat inflammatory conditions, viral infections, and cancers. Ivermectin's anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anticancer effects were explored. Its traditional mechanism of action in parasitic diseases, such as scabies and malaria, rests on its ability to interfere with the glutamate-gated chloride channels in invertebrates and the lack of P-glycoprotein in many parasites. More recently, it has been discovered that the ability of ivermectin to block the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain enhancer of the activated B (NF-κB) pathway that modulates the expression and production of proinflammatory cytokines is implicated in its role as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat rosacea. Ivermectin has also been evaluated for treating infections caused by viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2 and adenoviruses, through inhibition of viral protein transportation and acting on the importin α/β1 interface. It has also been suggested that ivermectin can inhibit the proliferation of tumorigenic cells through various pathways that lead to the management of certain cancers. The review aimed to evaluate its multifaceted effects and potential clinical applications beyond its traditional use as an anthelmintic agent.
PubMed: 38606261
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.56025 -
Archives of Razi Institute Oct 2023Scabies is considered an external parasite notorious for its high prevalence causing severe and contagious skin lesions in humans and animals worldwide. This study has...
Scabies is considered an external parasite notorious for its high prevalence causing severe and contagious skin lesions in humans and animals worldwide. This study has introduced a medicine to treat dogs infested with scabies (variants of Demodex, Sarcoptes, Psoroptes, Otodectes, etc.). The present study offers a no-side-effect herbal formulation to treat dogs infested with scabies. Unlike oral and injectable medicines, which take the form of an ointment and are topically applied on-site, this medicinal formulation can be easily used without concerns over its side effects or consumption dosages. This medicinal formulation requires no skin rinsing due to its herbal and high skin absorption properties, as recovery may take less than a month with a maximum of two times of application. To carry out the experiment, 25 sick dogs with various breeds and ages suspected of scabies were gathered. Following accurate morphological examinations of all the samples, a deep skin chip of the lesion site was provided, which was examined by a microscope. Then, 13 dogs (Mix, Terrier, Pug, Husky, Spitz) were infested with Demodex scabies and 12 dogs (Pittbull, Mix, Shih Tzu, Terrier, Boxer, Setter) with Sarcoptic scabies. The prepared product was topically administered at a constant 2% dosage to the bodies of all the samples. To prepare the ointment, 1 g of Borax (NaBO·10HO) was first dissolved in 35 g deionized water and heated to 70°C. Then, 45 g of liquid paraffin (CH) was mixed with 1 g of Carvacrol (CHO) and 1 g of geranium (CHO) and stirred well to become a phase. Later, 17 g of the melted beeswax (CHCOOC3H) was added to the liquid paraffin compound. In the end, the aqueous phase was added to the oil phase, and the mixture process immediately began in one direction with a glass stirrer and continued until the product cooled down. Essential oils (EO) was obtained by steam distillation of fresh Thyme and Rose-Acented Geranium in a stainless steel distillation apparatus (alembic) for 3 h. The main components of the essential oils used in the formulation were performed using a Hewlett-Packard GC system interfaced with a mass spectrometer equipped with an HP5-MS capillary column (30 m, 0.32 mm, 0.25 µm film thicknesses). For GC-MS detection, electron ionization with ionization energy of 70 eV was used. To examine the presence of scabies, weekly skin sampling was performed, and the treatment continued until 30 days, when no skin chip of the scabies was noted. The findings revealed that the formulation developed no side effects and removed the daily use, as it could be administered once or twice a week. Also, complete recovery of scabies in all the breeds was found to be less than a month at most. This medicinal formulationcan be easily used without concerns over its side effects or consumption dosages. This study introduced a herbal formulation with effective herbal ingredients without any side effects to treat the sarcoptes and demodex parasites; unlike other chemical compounds, this medicinal formulation has no side effects, while some other formulations could develop side effects.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Dogs; Scabies; Parasites; Mineral Oil; Ointments; Sarcoptes scabiei; Plant Breeding; Plant Extracts; Oils, Volatile
PubMed: 38590675
DOI: 10.22092/ARI.2023.78.5.1472