Vol. 6, Issue 1, Part A (2024)

Background: Scabies is a global problem and a significant source of morbidity among people because it is an annoying disease that disturbs the life of individuals. Aim of study: To assess scabies prevalence in Iraqi dermatology clinic patients at AL-KADHIMYA hospital and recommend prevention, control, and patient education. 
Method: This cross-sectional "descriptive" study was conducted at the dermatology and venereology department of AL-KADHIMYA teaching hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, from November 1, 2011 to April 30, 2012.
This study included 200 males, females, children, and adults aged 1 to 80 with scabies, all of whom had a presumptive diagnosis on a dermatologist's report. The study sample was asked about their age, sex, occupation, educational level, residence, personal hygiene, overcrowding index, possible source of infestation, duration & timing of itching, and sites of burrows & papules, genital lesions, and maximum itching. 
Results: This study saw 200 scabies patients, including males, females, children, and adults, ages 1 to 80. The disease was most common in children aged "below 10 years old" (31.5%), followed by adolescents (10–19 years old) and young adults (18.5%). The illness is more frequent in unhygienic people (59%) than clean people (41%). Most patients (49%) got the infection via relatives, followed by jails (21.5%) and military (20%). Itching onset was shorter than 1 month in 76.5 percent of patients. The illness is more common in overcrowded households with 2.1 -4 (50%) and 4.1 -5 & above (30.5%).
Conclusion: Scabies affects children and young people, especially men, those with lesser education, and those living in overcrowded settings. Transmission is mostly by intimate physical contact, especially among families, with many instances associated to prisons and military settings. In the first month of infection, nocturnal itching, papules, and burrows are most prevalent, peaking in winter.