Scabies

Summary of changes

Addition: Consideration of ivermectin-based mass drug administration (MDA) program for communities where scabies prevalence is assessed as being 10% or more

Medicines

  • Oral ivermectin added as first option for scabies treatment
  • Removed option of benzyl benzoate 25% lotion mixed with tea tree oil for difficult case or treatment failure in scabies, and for crusted scabies grade 1

Primary references

  1. Chandler DJ and Fuller LC (2019) 'A Review of Scabies: An Infestation More than Skin Deep', Dermatology, 235(2):79-90, doi:10.1159/000495290

  2. Engelman D, Yoshizumi J, Hay RJ, Osti M, Micali G, Norton S, Walton S, Boralevi F, Bernigaud C, Bowen AC, Chang AY, Chosidow O, Estrada-Chavez G, Feldmeier H, Ishii N, Lacarrubba F, Mahé A, Maurer T, Mahdi MMA, Murdoch ME, Pariser D, Nair PA, Rehmus W, Romani L, Tilakaratne D, Tuicakau M, Walker SL, Wanat KA, Whitfeld MJ, Yotsu RR, Steer AC and Fuller LC (2020) 'The 2020 International Alliance for the Control of Scabies Consensus Criteria for the Diagnosis of Scabies', British Journal of Dermatology, 183(5):808-820, doi:10.1111/bjd.18943

  3. Expert Groups for Antibiotic, version 16 (2021) Antibiotic, Therapeutic Guidelines, accessed 24 April 2022.

  4. Groupe de Recherche de la Société Française de Dermatologie Pédiatrique (2020) 'Ivermectin safety in infants and children under 15 kg treated for scabies: a multicentric observational study', British Journal of Dermatology, 182(4):1003-1006, doi:10.1111/bjd.18369

  5. Gwee A, Duffull S, Zhu X, Tong SYC, Cranswick N, McWhinney B, Ungerer J, Francis J and Steer AC (2020) 'Population pharmacokinetics of ivermectin for the treatment of scabies in Indigenous Australian children', PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 14(12):e0008886, doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0008886

  6. May PJ, Tong SYC, Steer AC, Currie BJ, Andrews RM, Carapetis JR and Bowen AC (2019) 'Treatment, prevention and public health management of impetigo, scabies, crusted scabies and fungal skin infections in endemic populations: a systematic review', Tropical Medicine & International Health, 24(3):280-293, doi:10.1111/tmi.13198

Indigenous/remote context references

  1. Every Voice Counts and One Disease (2017) Managing crusted scabies in remote Aboriginal communities, 2nd edition, Clinical Resources, accessed 5 October 2022.

  2. Lokuge B, Kopczynski A, Woltmann A, Alvoen F, Connors C, Guyula T, Mulholland E, Cran S, Foster T, Lokuge K, Burke T and Prince S (2014) 'Crusted scabies in remote Australia, a new way forward: lessons and outcomes from the East Arnhem Scabies Control Program', Medical Journal of Australia, 200(11):644-8, doi:10.5694/mja14.00172