Scabicides and pediculicides

Abstract

Scabies and pediculosis are still very common, and often underestimated ectoparasite infections. Infestations may result not only from human mites or insects but also from domestic animals, grain and dust mites. In the presence of unexplained, often puzzling, pruritic papular eruption, the possibility of an ectoparasite infestation should always be considered. In new epidemiological situations—prolonged life, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and other immunodeficiency syndromes, development of resistant strains—new challenging problems in therapy are raised. Therefore new considerations should be made about the schedules for treating individuals and endemics in schools, nursing homes, hospitals and underdeveloped communities. The frequency of use of different insecticides varies in different countries. Among well-known drugs there are often locally produced herbal preparations recommended for the treatment. The use of different medications is also influenced by economic circumstances. Effectiveness depends not only on the drug itself but also on their proper use according to the instructions and epidemiological approach to the treatment. In ectoparasite infections it is necessary to treat not only the patient but also the contacts and often the environment to prevent reinfection and spread of the disease.