Heukelbach J, Wilcke T, Winter B, Feldmeier H
Departamento de Saúde Comunitária, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Rua Prof. Costa Mendes 1608-5 andar, Fortaleza, CE 60430-140, Brazil.
Br J Dermatol. 2005 Jul;153(1):150-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2005.06591.x.
Pediculosis capitis and scabies are common parasitic skin diseases, especially in resource-poor communities, but data on epidemiology and morbidity are scanty.
To assess the prevalence, seasonal variation and morbidity of pediculosis capitis and scabies in poor neighbourhoods in north-east Brazil.
The study comprised cross-sectional surveys of a representative population of an urban slum (n = 1460) in Fortaleza, the capital of Ceará State (Brazil) and a fishing community 60 km south of the city (n = 605). Study participants were examined for the presence of scabies and pediculosis capitis. In a longitudinal study in the slum, variation of prevalence in different seasons of the year was assessed.
Prevalence of pediculosis capitis was 43.4% in the slum and 28.1% in the fishing community. Children aged 10-14 years and females were most frequently affected. Scabies was present in 8.8% of the population in the slum and in 3.8% of the population in the fishing community. There was no consistent pattern of age distribution. Superinfection was common in patients with scabies, and cervical lymphadenopathy in patients with pediculosis capitis. Multivariate analysis showed that age < or = 15 years, being of female sex and living in the urban slum were independent factors contributing to the simultaneous coinfestation with pediculosis capitis and scabies. The longitudinal data from the urban slum showed a characteristic seasonal variation of pediculosis capitis, but no fluctuation of scabies.
Pediculosis capitis and scabies are hyperendemic in the study areas and are associated with considerable morbidity. There is an urgent need to develop control measures for these parasitic skin diseases in resource-poor communities. This is the first community-based study describing in detail the epidemiology and morbidity of scabies and head lice infestation in Brazil.
头虱病和疥疮是常见的寄生虫性皮肤病，在资源匮乏的社区尤为常见，但关于其流行病学和发病率的数据却很少。
评估巴西东北部贫困社区头虱病和疥疮的患病率、季节变化及发病率。
该研究包括对塞阿拉州（巴西）首府福塔莱萨一个城市贫民窟的代表性人群（n = 1460）和该市以南60公里处的一个渔业社区（n = 605）进行横断面调查。对研究参与者进行疥疮和头虱病检查。在贫民窟进行的一项纵向研究中，评估了一年中不同季节患病率的变化。
贫民窟头虱病患病率为43.4%，渔业社区为28.1%。10 - 14岁儿童和女性受影响最为频繁。贫民窟8.8%的人口患有疥疮，渔业社区为3.8%。年龄分布没有一致的模式。疥疮患者中二重感染很常见，头虱病患者中颈部淋巴结病很常见。多变量分析显示，年龄≤15岁、女性以及居住在城市贫民窟是导致同时感染头虱病和疥疮的独立因素。来自城市贫民窟的纵向数据显示头虱病有特征性的季节性变化，但疥疮没有波动。
头虱病和疥疮在研究区域高度流行，并伴有相当高的发病率。迫切需要为资源匮乏社区制定这些寄生虫性皮肤病的控制措施。这是巴西第一项详细描述疥疮和头虱感染的流行病学和发病率的基于社区的研究。
