Research Article
BibTex RIS Cite

Secondary skin infections following scabies in children: clinical findings and risk factors

Year 2025, Volume: 50 Issue: 3, 856 - 862, 30.09.2025
https://doi.org/10.17826/cumj.1712190

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the clinical and behavioral risk factors associated with secondary bacterial skin infections in children with scabies.
Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed records of 200 children (0–18 years) diagnosed with scabies between January 2022 and December 2024. All received a two-dose permethrin regimen and were followed for 30 days. Collected data included age, sex, pruritus severity, symptom-to-diagnosis interval, treatment adherence, and household contact treatment..
Results: Secondary skin infection occurred in 35% of children at a median of 9 days (Interquartile range (IQR) 6–12) after treatment. The median interval from symptom onset to scabies diagnosis was 11 days (IQR 8–15). In bivariate analyses, infected children were younger ( median age 7.5 vs. 8.5 years) and had higher pruritus scores (7.0 vs. 5.0). Multivariable analysis identified five independent predictors. Younger age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.92 per year; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85–0.99), higher pruritus score (aOR 1.18 per point; 95% CI 1.06–1.31), longer symptom-to-diagnosis interval (aOR 1.10 per day; 95% CI 1.02–1.19), incomplete topical application (aOR 2.9; 95% CI 1.3–6.4) and failure to treat household contacts (aOR 3.7; 95% CI 1.6–8.5). Impetigo (48.5%) and cellulitis (24.6%) were the most frequent manifestations.
Conclusion: Early diagnosis, complete topical application, household treatment, and monitoring pruritus severity are key to reducing secondary infections in pediatric scabies.

Supporting Institution

N/A

Project Number

N/A

References

  • World Health Organization. WHO Informal Consultation on a Framework for Scabies Control: Meeting Report. Manila, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2020.
  • Debash H, Shibabaw A, Ebrahim H, Tilahun M, Seid A, Shimeles G et al. Parasitological prevalence of scabies and secondary bacterial infections among scabies suspected patients at borumeda general hospital, northeast Ethiopia. BMC Infect Dis. 2024;24:1106.
  • El-Moamly AA. Scabies as part of the World Health Organization’s neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 roadmap: what we know and what we need to do for global control. Trop Med Health. 2021;49:64.
  • Etiz P, Altunsu AT. The scabies epidemic during the COVID-19 pandemic. Turkiye Parazitol Derg. 2023;47:235–39.
  • Karaca Ural Z, Çatak B, Ağaoğlu E. Prevalence of scabies in the COVID-19 pandemic period and risk factors: a hospital-based study in northeast Turkey. Acta Parasitol. 2022;67:802–8.
  • Çöğürlü MT, Dikici Ü. Frequency of scabies in pediatric allergy clinic and evaluation of demographic characteristics of affected patients. KOU Sag Bil Derg. 2024;10:44–7.
  • Mitchell E, Wallace M, Marshall J, Whitfeld M, Romani L. Scabies: current knowledge and future directions. Front Trop Dis. 2024;5:1429266.
  • Ozcelik S. A neglected disease: scabies—a retrospective study on children. Turk J Pediatr Dis. 2022;16:121–26.
  • Etgu F, Onder S. Evaluating knowledge level about scabies in primary care physicians during the scabies outbreak of Turkey. Turk J Dermatol. 2023;17:57–63.
  • Romani L, Koroivueta J, Steer A, Kama M, Kaldor J, Wand H et al. Scabies and impetigo prevalence and risk factors in Fiji: a national survey. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015;9:e0003452.
  • Romani L, Steer A, Whitfeld M, Kaldor J. Prevalence of scabies and impetigo worldwide: a systematic review. Lancet Infect Dis. 2015;15:960–67.
  • Yeoh D, Anderson A, Cleland G, Bowen A. Are scabies and impetigo “normalised”? a cross-sectional comparative study of hospitalised children in northern Australia assessing clinical recognition and treatment of skin infections. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017;11:e0005726.
  • Armitage E, Senghore E, Darboe S, Barry M, Camara J, Bah S et al. High burden and seasonal variation of paediatric scabies and pyoderma prevalence in the Gambia: a cross-sectional study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019;13:e0007801.
  • Steer AC, Jenney AW, Kado J, Batzloff MR, La Vincente S, Waqatakirewa L et al. High burden of impetigo and scabies in a tropical country. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2009;3:e467.
  • Skayem C, Askour M, Gary C, Hemery F, Mahé E, Caux F et al. Severe scabies: a French multi-centre study involving 95 patients with crusted and profuse disease and review of the literature. Acta Derm Venereol. 2023;103:adv00878.
  • DermNet New Zealand Trust. Scabies. [Internet]. https://dermnetnz.org/ topics/scabies (accessed May 2025).
  • WHO. Scabies. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/scabies (accessed May 2025).
  • Girma A, Abdu I. Prevalence and determinants of scabies among schoolchildren in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Sci Rep. 2024;7:e70199.
  • Chiriac A, Diaconeasa A, Miulescu R, Wollina U. Scabies in infants and children: a narrative review. Eur J Pediatr. 2024;183:2527–36.
  • Wilkins A, Steer A, Cranswick N, Gwee A. Question 1: is it safe to use ivermectin in children less than five years of age and weighing less than 15 kg? Arch Dis Child. 2018;103:514–19.
  • Plascencia Gómez A, Proy Trujillo H, Eljure López N, Atoche Diéguez C, Calderón Rocher C. Scabies: a review. Dermatol Cosmet Med Quir. 2013;11:217–37.
  • Bhat S, Mounsey K, Liu X, Walton S. Host immune responses to the itch mite, sarcoptes scabiei, in humans. Parasit Vectors. 2017;10:385.
  • Esposito L, Veraldi S. Skin bacterial colonizations and superinfections in immunocompetent patients with scabies. Int J Dermatol. 2018;57:1218–20.

Çocuklarda uyuz sonrası ikincil cilt enfeksiyonları: klinik bulguları ve risk faktörleri

Year 2025, Volume: 50 Issue: 3, 856 - 862, 30.09.2025
https://doi.org/10.17826/cumj.1712190

Abstract

Amaç. Bu çalışma, uyuz tanısı alan çocuklarda ikincil bakteriyel cilt enfeksiyonlarıyla ilişkili klinik ve davranışsal risk faktörlerini belirlemeyi amaçlamıştır.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Ocak 2022–Aralık 2024 tarihleri arasında uyuz tanısı alan 0–18 yaş arası 200 çocuk geriye dönük olarak incelendi. Tüm hastalara iki dozluk permetrin tedavisi uygulandı ve tedavi başlangıcından itibaren 30 gün boyunca izlendi. Toplanan veriler arasında yaş, cinsiyet, kaşıntı şiddeti, semptomların başlamasından tanıya kadar geçen süre, tedaviye uyum ve ev içi temaslıların tedavi edilip edilmediği yer aldı.
Bulgular: İkincil cilt enfeksiyonu çocukların %35’inde, tedavi sonrası medyan 9 günde (çeyrekler arası aralık (IQR) 6–12) ortaya çıktı. Semptom başlangıcından uyuz tanısına kadar geçen medyan süre 11 gündü (IQR 8–15). İkili analizlerde enfekte çocuklar daha küçük yaştaydı (medyan 7,5 vs. 8,5 yıl) ve kaşıntı skorları daha yüksekti (7,0 vs. 5,0). Çok değişkenli analizde beş bağımsız öngörücü saptandı. Daha küçük yaş (her yıl için düzeltilmiş olasılık oranı (aOR) 0,92; %95 güven aralığı (GA) 0,85–0,99), daha yüksek kaşıntı puanı (her puan için aOR 1,18; %95 GA 1,06–1,31), semptomdan tanıya kadar geçen sürenin uzunluğu (her gün için aOR 1,10; %95 GA 1,02–1,19), eksik topikal uygulama (aOR 2,9; %95 GA 1,3–6,4) ve ev içi temaslıların tedavi edilmemesi (aOR 3,7; %95 GA 1,6–8,5). En sık görülen bulgular impetig (%48,5) ve selülit(%24,6) idi.
Sonuç: Pediatrik uyuz olgularında ikincil enfeksiyonların önlenmesinde erken tanı konulması, topikal tedavinin eksiksiz ve doğru uygulanması, ev içi temaslıların eş zamanlı tedavi edilmesi ve kaşıntı şiddetinin düzenli olarak izlenmesi büyük önem taşımaktadır.

Project Number

N/A

References

  • World Health Organization. WHO Informal Consultation on a Framework for Scabies Control: Meeting Report. Manila, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2020.
  • Debash H, Shibabaw A, Ebrahim H, Tilahun M, Seid A, Shimeles G et al. Parasitological prevalence of scabies and secondary bacterial infections among scabies suspected patients at borumeda general hospital, northeast Ethiopia. BMC Infect Dis. 2024;24:1106.
  • El-Moamly AA. Scabies as part of the World Health Organization’s neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 roadmap: what we know and what we need to do for global control. Trop Med Health. 2021;49:64.
  • Etiz P, Altunsu AT. The scabies epidemic during the COVID-19 pandemic. Turkiye Parazitol Derg. 2023;47:235–39.
  • Karaca Ural Z, Çatak B, Ağaoğlu E. Prevalence of scabies in the COVID-19 pandemic period and risk factors: a hospital-based study in northeast Turkey. Acta Parasitol. 2022;67:802–8.
  • Çöğürlü MT, Dikici Ü. Frequency of scabies in pediatric allergy clinic and evaluation of demographic characteristics of affected patients. KOU Sag Bil Derg. 2024;10:44–7.
  • Mitchell E, Wallace M, Marshall J, Whitfeld M, Romani L. Scabies: current knowledge and future directions. Front Trop Dis. 2024;5:1429266.
  • Ozcelik S. A neglected disease: scabies—a retrospective study on children. Turk J Pediatr Dis. 2022;16:121–26.
  • Etgu F, Onder S. Evaluating knowledge level about scabies in primary care physicians during the scabies outbreak of Turkey. Turk J Dermatol. 2023;17:57–63.
  • Romani L, Koroivueta J, Steer A, Kama M, Kaldor J, Wand H et al. Scabies and impetigo prevalence and risk factors in Fiji: a national survey. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015;9:e0003452.
  • Romani L, Steer A, Whitfeld M, Kaldor J. Prevalence of scabies and impetigo worldwide: a systematic review. Lancet Infect Dis. 2015;15:960–67.
  • Yeoh D, Anderson A, Cleland G, Bowen A. Are scabies and impetigo “normalised”? a cross-sectional comparative study of hospitalised children in northern Australia assessing clinical recognition and treatment of skin infections. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017;11:e0005726.
  • Armitage E, Senghore E, Darboe S, Barry M, Camara J, Bah S et al. High burden and seasonal variation of paediatric scabies and pyoderma prevalence in the Gambia: a cross-sectional study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019;13:e0007801.
  • Steer AC, Jenney AW, Kado J, Batzloff MR, La Vincente S, Waqatakirewa L et al. High burden of impetigo and scabies in a tropical country. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2009;3:e467.
  • Skayem C, Askour M, Gary C, Hemery F, Mahé E, Caux F et al. Severe scabies: a French multi-centre study involving 95 patients with crusted and profuse disease and review of the literature. Acta Derm Venereol. 2023;103:adv00878.
  • DermNet New Zealand Trust. Scabies. [Internet]. https://dermnetnz.org/ topics/scabies (accessed May 2025).
  • WHO. Scabies. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/scabies (accessed May 2025).
  • Girma A, Abdu I. Prevalence and determinants of scabies among schoolchildren in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Sci Rep. 2024;7:e70199.
  • Chiriac A, Diaconeasa A, Miulescu R, Wollina U. Scabies in infants and children: a narrative review. Eur J Pediatr. 2024;183:2527–36.
  • Wilkins A, Steer A, Cranswick N, Gwee A. Question 1: is it safe to use ivermectin in children less than five years of age and weighing less than 15 kg? Arch Dis Child. 2018;103:514–19.
  • Plascencia Gómez A, Proy Trujillo H, Eljure López N, Atoche Diéguez C, Calderón Rocher C. Scabies: a review. Dermatol Cosmet Med Quir. 2013;11:217–37.
  • Bhat S, Mounsey K, Liu X, Walton S. Host immune responses to the itch mite, sarcoptes scabiei, in humans. Parasit Vectors. 2017;10:385.
  • Esposito L, Veraldi S. Skin bacterial colonizations and superinfections in immunocompetent patients with scabies. Int J Dermatol. 2018;57:1218–20.
There are 23 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Journal Section Research
Authors

Zeliha Haytoglu 0000-0002-8371-5137

Özlem Özgür Gündeşlioğlu 0000-0003-2202-7645

Bilge Fettahlıoğlu Karaman 0000-0003-4236-0066

Project Number N/A
Publication Date September 30, 2025
Submission Date June 3, 2025
Acceptance Date August 6, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 50 Issue: 3

Cite

MLA Haytoglu, Zeliha et al. “Secondary Skin Infections Following Scabies in Children: Clinical Findings and Risk Factors”. Cukurova Medical Journal, vol. 50, no. 3, 2025, pp. 856-62, doi:10.17826/cumj.1712190.