Laisnez Valeska, Brosius Isabel, Van Bortel Wim, Meudec Marie, Janssens Arne, Madl Julia, Aye Amba Josiane, Bruggeman Lien, Godderis Lode, Dhaeze Wouter, van Durme Muriel, Hercot David, Talboom Ive, Bossu Julie, Barche Blaise, Catteau Lucy, Colombe Soledad
Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium.
ECDC Fellowship Programme, Field Epidemiology path (EPIET), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Stockholm, Sweden.
Arch Public Health. 2025 Jul 29;83(1):197. doi: 10.1186/s13690-025-01684-3.
Several European countries have reported an increasing trend of human scabies in the past twenty years. In Belgium, scabies' clusters hinted at a similar trend despite individual cases not being notifiable. We aimed to describe scabies' trends between 2000 and 2023 in Belgium.
We described the evolution of scabies during 2000-2023 in Belgium using a variety of available data sources. Using generalized linear models, we analysed yearly trends and seasonality of scabies diagnoses at general practitioners (GPs) in Flanders, occupational health services in Belgium, nationwide asylum seekers' shelters and consultations for people with precarious housing, and student medical facilities in Flanders. Additionally, we analysed national reimbursement and sales data for first-line scabies treatments in Belgium.
Scabies diagnoses significantly increased at all investigated levels (p-value < 0.001): primary care (15% yearly increase, 2011-2023), occupational health services (16% yearly increase, 2011-2022, temporary decrease in 2020-2021), asylum seekers' shelters (41% yearly increase, 2016-2022), consultations for people in precarious living situations (41% yearly increase, 2019-2022), and pharmaceutical sales (15% yearly increase in permethrin sales, 2012-2022). In primary care, those 15-24 years-old were most affected (13.2/1,000 compared to 4.1/1,000 for all ages in 2023), as were urban areas (6.7/1,000 compared to 2.7/1,000 in rural areas in 2022). Incidence was overall higher in males (p-value 0.016).
Our study shows a strong increasing trend of scabies in Belgium since 2011, with higher incidences in younger age groups, urban areas and during colder months. We recommend further studies to better quantify the increase and investigate the underlying drivers.
过去二十年来，几个欧洲国家报告了人类疥疮呈上升趋势。在比利时，尽管个别病例无需上报，但疥疮聚集现象暗示了类似趋势。我们旨在描述2000年至2023年比利时疥疮的趋势。
我们利用各种可用数据源描述了2000 - 2023年比利时疥疮的演变情况。使用广义线性模型，我们分析了弗拉芒地区全科医生（GP）、比利时职业健康服务机构、全国范围内的寻求庇护者收容所和不稳定住房者咨询机构以及弗拉芒地区学生医疗设施中疥疮诊断的年度趋势和季节性。此外，我们分析了比利时一线疥疮治疗的国家报销和销售数据。
在所有调查层面，疥疮诊断显著增加（p值<0.001）：初级保健（2011 - 2023年每年增加15%）、职业健康服务（2011 - 2022年每年增加16%，2020 - 2021年暂时下降）、寻求庇护者收容所（2016 - 2022年每年增加41%）、不稳定生活状况者咨询（2019 - 2022年每年增加41%）以及药品销售（2012 - 2022年氯菊酯销售额每年增加15%）。在初级保健中，15 - 24岁人群受影响最大（2023年为13.2/1000，而所有年龄段为4.1/1000），城市地区也是如此（2022年为6.7/1000，而农村地区为2.7/1000）。总体而言，男性发病率更高（p值0.016）。
我们的研究表明，自2011年以来，比利时疥疮呈强劲上升趋势，在较年轻年龄组、城市地区以及较寒冷月份发病率更高。我们建议进一步开展研究，以更好地量化这种增长并调查潜在驱动因素。
