RESUMO
Norwegian scabies is a particular form of scabies, rarely reported in Tunisia. It habitually occurs in immunocompromised hosts, with prolounged immunosuppressive therapy, congenital immune disease, HIV-1 infection or neoplasm. We report an observation of norwegian scabies, occuring in a woman with prolounged systemic corticosteroid therapy
Observation: a 65-year old woman, with a long history of obstructive bronchoneumopathy and bronchiectasis, treated with systemic corticosteroids for 5 years, was referred with a mild pruriginous and scaly erythroderma. This dermatosis developed within 5 months, with fever and impairing of heal-th. Skin parasitological exams showed a massive infestation by sarcoptes. Histologic findings revealed multiple sarcoptes scabiei and eggs in the stratum corneum. The patient was treated with benzyl benzoate during 48 hours. She died rapid-ly with acute respiratory distress
Discussion: basing on this observation of norwegian scabies occuring in an old immunocompromised woman, we put the accent on this particular form of scabies, often misappreciated, and incite to practice skin and nail parasitological exams in case of mild pruriginous, chronic scaly erythroderma, developing in immunocompromised patients