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Review
. 2022 Jun 16;14(3):479-491.
doi: 10.3390/idr14030051.

Crusted Scabies, a Neglected Tropical Disease: Case Series and Literature Review

Affiliations
Review

Crusted Scabies, a Neglected Tropical Disease: Case Series and Literature Review

Nurdjannah Jane Niode et al. Infect Dis Rep. .

Abstract

Crusted scabies is a rare form of scabies that presents with more severe symptoms than those of classic scabies. It is characterized by large crusted lesions, extensive scales, thick hyperkeratosis, and contains a large number of highly contagious itch mites. Crusted scabies is more prevalent in immunocompromised, malnourished, and disabled individuals. This disease has been linked to a variety of health problems, including delayed diagnosis, infection risk, and high mortality, mainly from sepsis, and it has the potential to cause an outbreak due to its hyper-infestation, which makes it highly infectious. This article reports three cases of crusted scabies in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Recent updates and a comprehensive review of the literature on the disease are also included, emphasizing the critical importance of early diagnosis and effective medical management of patients, which are necessary to prevent the complications and spread in communities.

Keywords: case reports; crusted scabies; literature review; mortality; outbreak.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map of Sulawesi indicating the source of cases in North Sulawesi.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Patient of Case 1 showing diffuse erythematous maculopapular, generalized gray-yellow crusts (A,B); mineral oil scraping showing Sarcoptes scabiei mite (black arrow), eggs (red arrow), and feces (white arrow) (C); and clinical recovery after four weeks of therapy (D,E).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Patient of Case 2 showing gray-brown, slightly yellowish crusts on the both palmar regions (A); mineral oil scraping showing Sarcoptes scabiei mite (black arrow), eggs (red arrow), and feces (white arrow) (B); and clinical recovery after three weeks of therapy (C).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Patient of Case 3 showing gray-yellow crusts on the regio palmar dexter (A); Mineral oil scraping showing Sarcoptes scabiei mite (black arrow), eggs (red arrow), and feces (white arrow) at 10-times magnification (B) and clinical recovery after two weeks of therapy (C).

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