title: Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Scabies in a Dermatology Office.
abstract: Scabies is a neglected skin disease, and little is known about current incidence and treatment patterns in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine demographic data, treatment types, success of treatment, and misdiagnosis rate of scabies in an outpatient dermatology clinic.
  
  
  
  A retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with scabies within the past 5 years was performed.
  
  
  
  A total of 459 charts were identified, with 428 meeting inclusion criteria. Demographic data, diagnostic method, treatment choice, misdiagnosis rate, treatment failure, and itching after scabies are also reported. Children were the largest age group diagnosed with scabies, at 38%. Males (54%) were diagnosed with scabies more than females. The majority of diagnoses were made by visualizing ova, feces, or mites on light microscopy (58%). At the time of diagnosis, 45% of patients had been misdiagnosed by another provider. Topical permethrin was the most common treatment used (69%), followed by a combination of topical permethrin and oral ivermectin (23%), oral ivermectin (7%), and other treatments (1%).
  
  
  
  Our findings suggest that more accurate and faster diagnostic methods are needed to limit unnecessary treatment and expedite appropriate therapy for scabies.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC. Anderson.kathryn.lee@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kathryn L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC.
authors.forename: Lindsay C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Strowd
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000818:Animals; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D058069:Neglected Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D026023:Permethrin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012532:Scabies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D012737:Sex Factors; D015144:Southeastern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D017211:Treatment Failure; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D026023:Permethrin; D007559:Ivermectin
keywords: Child; Dermatology; Diagnostic Errors; Feces; Incidence; Ivermectin; Microscopy; Mites; Outpatients; Permethrin; Pruritus; Retrospective Studies; Scabies; Skin Diseases; Treatment Failure