Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Dec 26;18(12):e0012775.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012775. eCollection 2024 Dec.

The disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), prevalence and incidence of scabies, 1990-2021: A systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Jiajia Li  1 , Zehu Liu  1 , Xiujiao Xia  1
Affiliations

The disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), prevalence and incidence of scabies, 1990-2021: A systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Jiajia Li et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Current literature lacks a recent global analysis of scabies. This study aims to analyze the burden and epidemiological characteristics of scabies using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study.

Methodology/principal findings: The analysis assessed disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), prevalence, and incidence of scabies from 1990 to 2021, stratified by geographic location, socio demographic index (SDI), gender, and age. In 2021, scabies caused 5.3 million DALYs, 206.6 million prevalence, and 622.5 million incidence, primarily affecting children and young people. The burden was heaviest in middle SDI regions and lowest in high SDI regions. Oceania, Tropical Latin America, and East Asia ranked as the top three regions in global scabies burden. Nationally, Fiji, Guam, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Northern Mariana Islands had the highest age-standardised DALY rates. From 1990 to 2021, global age-standardized rates (ASRs) of DALYs, prevalence, and incidence for scabies declined, while the absolute numbers increased. These ASRs showed an upward trend in high and high-middle SDI regions, with significant increases in Central Latin America and high-income North America. Larger burden increases were observed in Sri Lanka, the United States of America, and Mexico compared to other countries and territories. In terms of age, these ASRs increased from 40, particularly for women and the elderly.

Conclusions/significance: The global scabies burden was higher in tropical regions, particularly among children and young people, in 2021. Between 1990 and 2021, the burden increased in higher SDI regions, Central Latin America, and high-income North America, warranting focused attention. Additionally, the rising burden among adults over 40, particularly women and the elderly, highlighted the need for targeted interventions.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
World map showing the numbers of scabies DALYs (A), prevalence (B), and incidence (C) in 2021. Basemap data source: Natural Earth, http://www.naturalearthdata.com, public domain.
Fig 2
Fig 2
World map showing ASRs of scabies DALYs (A), prevalence (B), and incidence (C) in 2021. Basemap data source: Natural Earth, http://www.naturalearthdata.com, public domain.
Fig 3
Fig 3
World map showing EAPCs in scabies DALY (A), prevalence (B), and incidence ASRs (C) from 1990 to 2021. Basemap data source: Natural Earth, http://www.naturalearthdata.com, public domain.
Fig 4
Fig 4
Global scabies DALYs (A, D), prevalence (B, E), and incidence (C, F) by age and sex in 2021.
Fig 5
Fig 5
Regional scabies DALYs (A, D), prevalence (B, E), and incidence (C, F) by age in 2021.
Fig 6
Fig 6
Percentage changes in scabies DALYs (A, D), prevalence (B, E), and incidence (C, F) by age and sex from 1990 to 2021.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Gramp P, Gramp D. Scabies in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations in Australia: A narrative review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021;15(9):e0009751. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009751 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Heukelbach J, Feldmeier H. Scabies. Lancet. 2006;367(9524): 1767–1774. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68772-2 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Aždajić MD, Bešlić I, Gašić A, Ferara N, Pedić L, Lugović-Mihić L. Increased Scabies Incidence at the Beginning of the 21st Century: What Do Reports from Europe and the World Show?. Life (Basel). 2022;12(10):1598. doi: 10.3390/life12101598 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Engelman D, Yoshizumi J, Hay RJ, Osti M, Micali G, Norton S, et al. The 2020 International Alliance for the Control of Scabies Consensus Criteria for the Diagnosis of Scabies. Br J Dermatol. 2020;183(5):808–820. doi: 10.1111/bjd.18943 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Mbuagbaw L, Sadeghirad B, Morgan RL, Mertz D, Motaghi S, Ghadimi M, et al. Failure of scabies treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Dermatol. 2024;190(2):163–173. - PubMed