Scabies epidemiology in health care centers for refugees and asylum seekers in Greece
Open Access
- 22 June 2022
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Public Library of Science (PLoS) in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
- Vol. 16 (6), e0010153
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0010153
Abstract
Scabies is a global health concern disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations such as refugees and asylum seekers. Greece is a main point of entry in Europe for refugees, but epidemiological data on scabies in this population are scarce. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of scabies, including trends over the study period. Data were collected from June, 2016 to July, 2020, using the surveillance system of the Greek National Public Health Organization. Daily reports on scabies and other infectious diseases were submitted by staff at health centers for refugees/asylum seekers. Observed proportional morbidity for scabies was calculated using consultations for scabies as a proportion of total consultations. There were a total of 13118 scabies cases over the study period. Scabies was the third most frequently observed infectious disease in refugees/asylum seekers population after respiratory infections and gastroenteritis without blood in the stool. The scabies monthly observed proportional morbidity varied between 0.3% (August 2017) to 5.7% (January 2020). Several outbreaks were documented during the study period. The number of cases increased from October 2019 until the end of the study period, with a peak of 1663 cases in January 2020, related to an outbreak at one center. Spearman correlation test between the number of reported scabies cases and time confirmed an increasing trend (ρ = 0.67). Scabies is one of the most frequently reported infectious diseases by health care workers in refugee/asylum seekers centers in Greece. Observed proportional morbidity for scabies increased over time and there were several outbreaks. The current surveillance system with daily reports of the new cases effectively detects new cases in an early stage. Public health interventions, including mass drug administration, should be considered to reduce the burden of scabies in refugee/migrant populations. Scabies is a skin disease caused by the ectoparasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis. Most people with scabies have a diffuse and pruritic rash, while the most complicated forms of the infection can lead to bacterial infections and sepsis. Scabies is a global health concern and in 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) added it to the portfolio of conditions prioritized by WHO’s Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases. However, the prevalence of scabies among refugees residing in camps in Greece has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we wanted to obtain an overview of scabies epidemiology and identify trends over time. To do so, we analyzed data extracted from epidemiological reports submitted each week as part of the Greek National Public Health Organization. Our findings confirmed the high prevalence of scabies among refugees residing in the camps and identified a clear trend of significant increase over time. Public health interventions, like mass drug administration with ivermectin, could help restrain the dissemination of the disease and lower its burden among refugees.Keywords
Funding Information
- H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (713660 – PRONKJEWAIL – H2020 – MSCA-COFUND-2015)
- Gratama Stichting (661232)
This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit:
- EctoparasitesJournal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2020
- The 2020 International Alliance for the Control of Scabies Consensus Criteria for the Diagnosis of ScabiesBritish Journal of Dermatology, 2020
- Asylum seekers’ perspectives on vaccination and screening policies after their arrival in Greece and The NetherlandsPLOS ONE, 2019
- The public health control of scabies: priorities for research and actionThe Lancet, 2019
- Infectious and dermatological diseases among arriving migrants on the Italian coastsEuropean Journal of Public Health, 2018
- Efficacy of ivermectin mass-drug administration to control scabies in asylum seekers in the Netherlands: A retrospective cohort study between January 2014 – March 2016PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2018
- Infectious disease profiles of Syrian and Eritrean migrants presenting in Europe: A systematic reviewTravel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 2018
- Ausbrüche von Infektionskrankheiten in Gemeinschaftsunterkünften für Asylsuchende 2004–2014 in DeutschlandBundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz, 2016
- Scabies in the developing world–-its prevalence, complications, and managementClinical Microbiology & Infection, 2012
- Skin diseases in Greek and immigrant children in AthensInternational Journal of Dermatology, 2012