Dermatológia pre prax 3/2024

What is the true epidemic situation of scabies in the Slovak Republic?

Scabies occurs in all countries of the world. In recent years, works have been published about the increasing incidence of scabies in Europe as well. Goal: To determine the dynamics of the occurrence of scabies in Slovakia by evaluating the number of mandatory reports and compared it with the number of persons examined for scabies in dermatovenerology clinics of the Slovak Republic in the years 1998 - 2022. Methods: Evaluating the number of mandatory reports for scabies of the Slovak Republik. Evaluating of reports the number of persons examined for scabies in dermatovenerology clinics of the Slovak Republic. Results: We recorded the highest number of reports in 1994 – 8 346 cases, with a subsequent sharp decrease until 2003, up to 504.3%. Between 2004 and 2009, a slight decrease in reports continued. From 2010 to 2016, a gradual increase of 123.39% was recorded. This was followed by a decrease to the lowest number of reports in 2021 – only 884 cases a decrease of 158%. In 2022, the number of reports increased by 46.94%. In 1998, up to 27 049 people were examined for Scabies. The number of examined persons gradually decreased and in 2008 it was only 7 876 – a decrease of 343.3%. Since 2008, the number of examined persons has varied between 11.2 and 49.2%. The trend curves for the last 10 years show a slight decrease in both reports and examined persons. It was found that the number of persons examined for scabies was 5 - 10 times higher than the number of reports. An increasing trend of undeclared persons examined for scabies was noted. Conclusion: Results of analyses entitles us to claim that despite the obligation to report scabies, not all sick people are reported, which distorts the objective epidemic situation. The importance of fulfilling the obligation to report all sick persons is pointed out in order to objectively determine the epidemic situation. Only objective data on the occurrence of scabies will allow the necessary anti-epidemic measures to be taken.

Keywords: scabies, long-term follow-up, epidemic situation