Scabies is a neglected health problem

ABSTRACT

The disease "scabies" is a neglected worldwide health problem that is caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei that burrows in the stratum corneum of the skin. Scabies persists despite the availability of topical insecticides because the disease is transmitted before it is diagnosed and treated and significant resistance to insecticides has developed. The aim of this study was to investigate immunobiochemial response of the host's inflammatory/immune response to scabies during infestation. The number of eosinophil, neutrophil and serum interleukin [IL]-5 were assessed in 27 patients with 25 healthy control subjects. In the present study significantly higher number of eosinophil [13.90 +/- 2.40%vs. 3.02 +/- 1.33%; p<0.001] and highly significant elevation in neutrophil [%] in the scahies group compared to the healthy controls [35, 9 +/- 4.2%vs. 21.4 +/- 2.6%, p<0.001]. As regards IL-S [there was a highly significant elevation in lnterleukin-5 in the scabics group compared to the healthy normal controls [47.0 +/- 18.31 ugh vs. 10 +/- 3.13 ug/l p<0.001].The results of this study suggest that there is a potent inflammatory immune response during the infestation of sarcopties scabiei. In conclusion, scabies is a dangerous disease affecting the immune system and should be treated once discovered to prevent the hazards of being epidemics