Scabies in Conakry, Guinea: Epidemiological, Clinical and Therapeutic Profiles

Introduction: Human scabies is a highly contagious skin parasitosis caused by Sarcoptes scabiei var hominis characterised by a pruritic skin rash. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence, to identify the factors that increase the disease and to describe the clinical characteristics and therapeutic modalities of scabies in the Dermatology-Venereology Department of the Donka University Hospital.

Materials and Methods: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study from February to July 2020. It targeted all patients admitted for pruritic dermatosis. All patients with a confirmed diagnosis of scabies based on clinical evidence, regardless of age, gender or origin were included in this study. Patients with a pruritic rash without objective signs of scabies were not included. Our data were collected using a pre-designed survey form. Data entry and statistical analysis of our data were performed using Epi-info software.

Results: We collected 310 (26.6%) cases of scabies out of 1164 patients seen in consultation. The patients were 156 (50.3%) women and 154 (49.7%) men. The average age was 24.02 ± 20.77 with extremes of 1 and 86 years. The most affected age group was 1-10 years (34.2%) followed by 21-30 years (22.2%). According to the level of education, those not in school (37.4%) and primary school (28.7%) were the most represented. According to socio-professional category 152 (49%) patients were unemployed and 52 (16.8%) were civil servants. The association with scabies was significant for promiscuity (P value=0.000), multiplicity of sexual partners (P value=0.004) and the number of people in the house greater than 5 (P value=0.000). Vesicles (88.7%), scratch lesions (71.3%) and papules (24.8%) were the most frequent physical signs. Benzyl benzoate was prescribed in all (100%) cases. Other drugs used were sedative antihistamines (65.8%), antibiotics (18.4%) in cases of superinfection, antiseptics (12.2%) and corticosteroids in cases of eczematisation (1.6%).

Conclusion: Scabies is very common in our context and affects all subjects with a predominance of children. Promiscuity, multiple sexual partners and the high number of people sharing the same room are risk factors for contagiousness.