A “forgotten” disease entity? Scabies with secondary infection in a housewife: case report

Abstract

Background: In 2017, scabies was classified by WHO into the neglected tropical disease list , with an estimated 455 million annual incident cases. This disease has a high prevalence in many tropical environments with low income sources, especially in the Pacific Island countries. Scabies transmission occurs as a result of skin-to-skin contact and spreads easily in crowded living conditions. Objective: This case report aims to describe the risk factor, clinical features, and management of scabies patient with secondary infection. Case: A 17-year-old female presented with nocturnal itching on her hands and feet. She rarely washed sheets or dried mattresses. Physical examination revealed multiple erythematous papules, pustules, crusts, and skin erosions in the antebrachii and manus regions. Papules and pustules were also observed in the dorsum pedis regions. The patient was diagnosed with scabies and a secondary bacterial infection. Treatment included topical antiparasitic (Ointment 2-4) and sedating antihistamines (CTM) to alleviate itching, along with systemic antibiotics (Amoxicillin) to address the bacterial infection.Conclusion: The internal and external risk factors that underlie the development of scabies in this case are the patient's residence in densely populated environment, low level of personal hygiene, knowledge level patients who are less about scabies, and low socioeconomic level. The success of scabies management depends on effective therapy and health education about PHBS (Perilaku hidup Bersih dan Sehat).