[Crusted scabies: A review]

Abstract

Crusted scabies is a rare and severe form of infestation by Sarcoptes scabies var. hominis. It is characterized by profuse hyperkeratosis containing over 4000 mites per gram of skin, with treatment being long and difficult. The condition is both direct and indirectly contagious. It has a central role in epidemic cycles of scabies, the incidence of which is on the rise in economically stable countries. Recent discoveries concerning the biology of mites, the pathophysiology of hyperkeratosis and the key role of IL-17 in this severe form open up new therapeutic perspectives.

Keywords: Crusted scabies; Gale croûteuse; Gale hyperkératosique; Gale norvégienne; IL-17; Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis.