title: Scabies: an epidemiologic reassessment.
abstract: Scabies is a highly contagious parasitic infestation whose exact nature is unknown. A reassessment of epidemiologic data questions accepted ideas such as that scabies is a sexually transmitted disease; 30-year cycles of scabies epidemics exist; changes in the immune status of the host population (herd immunity) are epidemiologically significant; fomite transmission is rare; and blacks are resistant to the mite. Scabies epidemics are due to several factors and improved surveillance is needed before the disease can be better controlled.
mesh_terms: D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D012532:Scabies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy / Q000635:transmission