The epidemiology of scabies in Denmark, 1900 to 1975

Abstract

Denmark is the only country in which scabies has been reported for many decades. The present study is based on 850,629 cases reported between 1900 and 1975. The incidence of scabies showed pronounced peaks around 1918 and 1945. Since the end of the 1960s, a new increase in incidence has been observed. The rates were high and rather uniform among infants, children, and young adults. Before puberty, the rate for girls was on an average 1.4 times higher than for boys. Scabies showed the same incidence in the capital as in the provinces, and marked seasonal variations occurred, with a winter maximum and a summer minimum. No single factor could be identified to explain the cyclic occurrence in time, the sex and age pattern, and the seasonal variation. These patterns probably have a multifactorial genesis!

The epidemiology of scabies in an impoverished community in rural Brazil: Presence and severity of disease are associated with poor living conditions and illiteracy

“…This corroborates findings from other tropical areas, 9,20 but is in contrast to observations made in industrialized countries with a cold or moderate climate or developing countries with a rather cold and dry winter such as Malawi or Turkey. 4,21,29,[43][44][45][46] Obviously, in the hot climate of Northeast Brazil reduced off-host viability of mites because of high environmental temperatures does not impede continued transmission throughout the year. 47,48 We suggest that in impoverished communities in the tropics reduced off-host viability of mites is compensated by intense exposure through prolonged and intimate body contact.…”

Frequency of Scabies in Iraq: Survey in a Dermatology Clinic

“…The burden of disease is highest in tropical countries, where scabies is endemic [1]. Epidemiological studies worldwide have suggested a 7-to 28-year cyclic pattern of disease prevalence [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Scabies is particularly common in resource-poor communities with crowded living conditions.…”

“…Scabies is particularly common in resource-poor communities with crowded living conditions. Some studies have suggested higher rates in urban areas and an increased incidence during winter months [3][4][5]. The disease is also more common in institutional environments such as prisons and old-age homes, where outbreaks of the disease are frequently reported [6].…”

Scabies in displaced families: Health care problem that need urgent action

“…Overcrowding, war time and climatic changes contributed to change in scabies prevalence from cyclical to epidemic pattern [32][33][34][35][36].…”

“…In developed countries scabies prevalence was similar across age groups [34], while in developing countries, the highest rate was in preschool children to adolescent [15]. Then scabies incidence declined in mid-adulthood and re-increase in the elderly [26,35].…”