title: The Prevalence of Scabies and Impetigo in the Solomon Islands: A Population-Based Survey.
abstract: Scabies and impetigo are common, important and treatable skin conditions. Reports from several Pacific island countries show extremely high prevalence of these two conditions, but for many countries, including the Solomon Islands, there is a paucity of epidemiological data.
  
  
  
  Ten rural villages in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands were included in the study, chosen so that data collection could be integrated with an existing project investigating clinical and serological markers of yaws. All residents were eligible to participate, and 1908 people were enrolled. Participants were interviewed and examined by a paediatric registrar, who recorded relevant demographic information, and made a clinical diagnosis of scabies and/or impetigo, severity and distribution.
  
  
  
  The total unweighted prevalence of scabies was 19.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 17.5-21.0), and age and gender weighted prevalence 19.2% (95%CI 16.7-21.9). The adult prevalence of scabies was 10.4% (95%CI 8.2-13.2), and the highest prevalence was found in infants < 1 year of age (34.1%, adjusted odds ratio [AOR] compared with adults: 3.6, 95%CI 2.2-6.0) and children aged 1-4 years (25.7%, AOR 2.6, 95%CI 1.7-3.9). Scabies affected two or more body regions in 80.9% of participants, and 4.4% of scabies cases were classified as severe. The total unweighted prevalence of active impetigo was 32.7% (95%CI 30.6-34.8), and age and gender weighted prevalence 26.7% (95%CI 24.2-29.5). The highest prevalence was found in children aged 1-4 years (42.6%, AOR compared with adults: 4.1, 95%CI 2.9-5.8). Scabies infestation was associated with active impetigo infection (AOR 2.0, 95%CI 1.6-2.6); with 41.1% of active impetigo cases also having scabies.
  
  
  
  Scabies and impetigo are very common in the rural Western Province of the Solomon Islands. Scabies infestation is strongly associated with impetigo. Community control strategies for scabies may reduce the burden of both conditions and their downstream complications.
authors.affiliation: Centre for International Child Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9227-5914
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.|Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Honiara, Solomon Islands.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sokana
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.|Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London, United Kingdom.|Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anthony W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.|Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Mabey
authors.affiliation: Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romani
authors.affiliation: Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaldor
authors.affiliation: Centre for International Child Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.|Group A Streptococcal Research Group, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Steer
authors.affiliation: Centre for International Child Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.|Group A Streptococcal Research Group, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Engelman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007169:Impetigo / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008542:Melanesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012532:Scabies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult