Ivermectin-responsive crusted scabies in four patients

Treatment of scabies with oral ivermectin in 15 infants: a retrospective study on tolerance and efficacy

BACKGROUND

The incidence of scabies is increasing in Europe, and it often affects children and infants. Although numerous topical treatments have been approved for treatment of scabies in adults, they are often poorly tolerated in infants. One treatment, ivermectin, remains off label for infants weighing < 15 kg.

OBJECTIVES

To report our experience on the safety and efficacy of oral ivermectin in refractory scabies in infants.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed in the dermatology and paediatrics departments of Rouen University Hospital between January 2009 and October 2012. Infants diagnosed with scabies were identified, and the data for those fulfilling the inclusion criteria were analysed.

RESULTS

Of 219 infants identified, 15 had received oral ivermectin and had been followed up for at least 3 months. All 15 patients were given two doses of ivermectin, 200 μg kg(-1), at baseline and 14 days later. Of 14 patients contacted 1 month after treatment, 12 had achieved healing. The other two were treated with ivermectin or benzyl benzoate; both healed. Overall, 3 months after the first ivermectin treatment, 13/14 patients had healed and only one had active disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Ivermectin is generally well tolerated in infants. The 80% rate of healing observed in infants who had failed to respond to at least two other topical treatments suggests that ivermectin could be considered for treatment of infants with recalcitrant or relapsing scabies.

Neonatal Norwegian scabies: three cooperating causes

BACKGROUND

Norwegian or crusted scabies is seldom reported in infancy, usually in immune deficient patients.

MAIN OBSERVATIONS

We report a case of an infant affected by atopic dermatitis since birth. The patient was ineffectively treated with topical and systemic steroids for several weeks for the insurgence of cutaneous xerosis and erithema. Clinical inspection and optical microscopic examination of skin scraped scales leaded to the diagnosis of crusted scabies. The physiological inability to scrapping reaction, the immunological profile deriving from atopy and finally iatrogenic immunodepression cooperating to conduce to crusted scabies.

CONCLUSION

In our case iatrogenic immunosuppression, atopic dermatitis and the absence of skin scraping reaction because of the very young age might have contributed to the unusual presentation of scabies. This case suggests considering possible alternative diagnosis of scabies in the failure of the treatment for atopic eczema.

The Scourge of Sarcoptes: Oral Ivermectin for Scabies

OBJECTIVE

To review the use of the oral antiparasitic ivermectin in the treatment of scabies, with an emphasis on its use in the elderly and in long-term care settings.

DATA SOURCE

A MEDLINE/PUBMED search was conducted to identify pertinent studies, case reports, letters, and reviews in the English language. All articles published from 1980 to October 2003 were reviewed. Additional references were obtained from the bibliographies of these articles.

STUDY SELECTION

All studies evaluating ivermectin in the context of scabies mite infestation.

DATA SYNTHESIS

The semisynthetic macrocyclic lactone ivermectin has been available since the early 1980s as a broad-spectrum antiparasitic agent in animals and humans. This agent, which works by suppressing motor nerve conduction leading to parasite paralysis and death, was first used in ectoparasitic diseases (i.e., those caused by lice and mites) shortly after commercial introduction. A large body of literature, mainly uncontrolled case reports and series, has since evolved. However, these reports and results of the small number of placebo- and/or active-controlled studies have demonstrated the favorable response of both classic and crusted scabies to single- and multiple-dose oral ivermectin. Adverse reactions to the drug are uncommon, with the exception of a transient, new onset, or mild increase in existing pruritus soon after drug ingestion, which is thought to be a hypersensitivity reaction to dead mites and/or their products.

CONCLUSION

Oral ivermectin may prove to be a time- and labor-saving alternative to topical scabicide treatments, especially in the institutional setting where labor shortages make the management of scabies outbreaks a true challenge. However, the use of this agent does not change the need to decontaminate the environment (clothing, bedding, bed clothes, and, in selected cases, floors and walls) in order to truncate an outbreak and prevent reinfestation.

Oral ivermectin for the treatment and prophylaxis of scabies in prison

INTRODUCTION

Oral ivermectin has been widely used to treat various human diseases, such as filariasis, myiasis, larva migrans, strongyloidiasis and scabies (both the common and crusted forms). However, there are only a small number of papers on the effects of this drug for the control of scabies in infested environments. The current study shows the results obtained with the collective treatment of inmates of a public jail.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 123 inmates living in a restricted and contaminated environment were evaluated clinically by experienced dermatologists for the assessment of the degree of infestation by Sarcoptes scabiei, and were then treated with oral ivermectin (200-300 micorg/kg single dose repeated after 7 days). Both clothing and environment were disinfected. Patients were re-evaluated after 15 days.

RESULTS

In all, 78% of the inmates were infected upon initial evaluation. Re-evaluation 15 days after repeat treatment revealed a cure rate of 91.05%. Prophylaxis was also highly effective, where 93.2% of the non-infected inmates and virtually all the house staff remained disease-free throughout the study period. Two of the 29 inmates (6.8%) who showed no apparent lesions upon initial examination were found to be infected upon re-evaluation. These patients responded well to a third dose of ivermectin.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral ivermectin at a dose of 300 microg/kg single dose repeated after 7 days proved effective for the treatment and prophylaxis of scabies in an infected institutional environment.

Crusted scabies in a healthy infant

Crusted scabies is generally seen in mentally retarded and immunosuppressed individuals. We report the case of a patient with crusted scabies with neither systemic disease nor immunosuppression; all the lesions were cured with applications of 5% permethrin lotion.

Oral ivermectin treatment in two cases of scabies: effective in crusted scabies induced by corticosteroid but ineffective in nail scabies

We report two cases of scabies treated with oral ivermectin (200 micro g/kg). Case 1, a 72-year-old man, developed crusted scabies with the use of oral corticosteroids due to a misdiagnosis by an earlier physician. The patient was successfully treated with two doses of oral ivermectin at a 7 day interval with concomitant topical use of crotamiton and keratolytic agents. However, the nail scabies in this patient failed to respond to these treatments. Live mites were detected from all his toenails two weeks after the second dose of ivermectin. A complete cure of the nail scabies was achieved by occlusive dressing of 1% gamma-BHC on all toenails for one month. Case 2, a 52-year-old woman, had been treated with oral corticosteroid for mesangial nephritis. She developed common scabies, but a topical scabicide, crotamiton, was not effective. Two weeks after treatment with a single dose of oral ivermectin, eggs were still detected from a burrow on her trunk. Her treatment was completed after a further two doses of oral ivermectin were administered at 7 day intervals. In both patients, the administration of oral ivermectin did not induce any clinical or laboratory side effects. Oral ivermectin is effective for crusted scabies, but not effective for nail scabies. Two doses of oral ivermectin, administered with a one-week interval, is an appropriate treatment regimen.

Ivermectin for the treatment of resistant scabies

OBJECTIVE

To assess the clinical literature describing the use of ivermectin in cases of treatment-resistant scabies infestations.

DATA SOURCES

Clinical literature accessed through a MEDLINE search (1966-July 2001) and the Cochrane Database.

DATA SYNTHESIS

A limited number of case reports and case series describes successful intervention with ivermectin use in patients who have failed prior therapy. Ivermectin may serve as a viable alternative therapy as the incidence of resistant scabitic infestations increases.

CONCLUSIONS

Ivermectin appears to be a safe and effective alternative for patients with treatment-resistant scabies. Larger, controlled clinical trials are required before this therapy can be recommended in the general population or as primary therapy.

Ivermectin is better than benzyl benzoate for childhood scabies in developing countries

OBJECTIVE

To compare single dose oral ivermectin with topical benzyl benzoate for the treatment of paediatric scabies.

METHODS

An observer-blinded randomized controlled trial was undertaken at Vila Central Hospital, Vanuatu. One hundred and ten children aged from 6 months to 14 years were randomized to receive either ivermectin 200 micro g/kg orally or 10% benzyl benzoate topically. Follow up was at 3 weeks post-treatment. Primary outcome measures were the number of scabies lesions, the itch visual analogue score and nocturnal itch. Secondary outcome measures were the skin's reaction to treatment, the passage of worms in stool and other side effects.

RESULTS

Eighty patients completed the study protocol. There was no significant difference between the two treatments; both produced a significant decrease in the number of scabies lesions seen at follow up. Ivermectin cured 24 out of 43 patients (56%), and benzyl benzoate 19 out of 37 patients (51%) at 3 weeks post-treatment. No serious side effects were noted with either treatment, but benzyl benzoate was more likely to produce local skin reactions (P = 0.004, OR 6.4, 95% CI 1.6-25.0)

CONCLUSIONS

Ivermectin is cheap and effective in the treatment of paediatric scabies. Ivermectin has minimal observed toxicity and has the additional beneficial effects of antiparasitic action in onchocerciasis, filariasis and strongyloidiasis. Ivermectin is better than benzyl benzoate for the treatment of paediatric scabies in developing countries.

Treatment of 18 children with scabies or cutaneous larva migrans using ivermectin

In addition to onchocerciasis and other filarial diseases, ivermectin has been used for the treatment of scabies, head lice, larva migrans and gnathostomiasis. However, there is concern regarding the safety of its use in children under 5 years of age or weighing less than 15 kg. We present our experience in 18 children (aged 14 months to 17 years), with scabies or cutaneous larva migrans successfully treated with ivermectin. They included four cases of crusted scabies associated with immunosuppression and seven cases of common scabies four of whom had associated clinical mental retardation, immunosuppression or hypomobility. A further seven patients had cutaneous larva migrans. Fifteen patients were cured with a single dose of ivermectin, and three patients with crusted scabies required a second dose. None of our patients suffered significant adverse effects. We believe that ivermectin is a safe and effective alternative treatment of cutaneous parasitosis in children.

Topical ivermectin: a new successful treatment for scabies

Ivermectin is the only one of the avermectins that has been widely used in humans, since it is recommended as the treatment of choice for onchocerciasis, a filariasis that produces "river blindness," a parasitic endemic infestation in countries of West Equatorial Africa and in some areas of Central and South America. Also, ivermectin has been used for treating human endo- and ectoparasites with effective results and with almost no side effects. To study the efficacy of ivermectin for scabies, which is very common in Colombia, a trial with this drug that could be easily administered, with fast application and high efficacy, was undertaken. For this purpose, six complete families with active scabies, consisting of 12 adults and 20 children ranging in age from 1 to 10 years, were treated with 1% ivermectin in a solution of propylene glycol applied topically to the affected skin. The dose employed was 400 microg/kg, repeated once the following week. All patients were cured, tolerated the medication well, and there were no side effects or signs of recurrence 2, 4, or 6 weeks after therapy. In addition to its efficacy, easy administration, and lack of side effects, ivermectin is a low-cost medication.