title: Factors supporting sustainability of a community-based scabies control program.
abstract: Scabies remains a major problem in Aboriginal communities within the Northern Territory of Australia. Secondary skin infection with Group A streptococcus (GAS) is very common and post-streptococcal disease rates remain high. Treating families in isolation will have only limited success, as reinfection frequently occurs as a result of the high levels of movement between households and communities. We describe the results of a successful community intervention to reduce scabies and GAS skin infection in one of the largest Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, 15 months post-intervention, and we discuss factors that have led to the success and sustainability of the program.
authors.affiliation: Skin and Cancer Foundation, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. owong@gtjl.com.au
authors.forename: Li-Chuen
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amega
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Connors
authors.forename: Mary Elizabeth
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Dulla
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ninnal
authors.forename: Margaret Mary
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Cumaiyi
authors.forename: Loyola
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kolumboort
authors.forename: Bart J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Currie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003256:Community Participation; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007306:Insecticides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015876:Northern Territory / Q000453:epidemiology; D026023:Permethrin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012532:Scabies / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000095283:Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D026023:Permethrin