[Clinical picture in scabies: comparison of the clinical description found in the literature with 179 patients examined].

After analysing the recrudescence of scabies and its incidence in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, clinical manifestations of this parasitic infestation found in 179 patients examined are commented. The patients, 83 men and 96 women, were between 16 and 65 years old, interned in a psychiatric hospital. The clinical diagnosis was given by experienced dermatologists. Twenty-five text-books have been reviewed so as to compare them to the series of patients examined. The main conclusions were the following: Burrons were found in only 3.4% of the cases examined, although this kind of scabies lesion is the most valued and mentioned in specialized literature. It is considered to be the pathognomonic lesion of scabies and its finding defines the diagnosis. However, the data found show that its low frequency limits greatly the utilization of its finding in this parasitic form diagnostic practice. Although not expected in a precarious hygienic condition environment, the percentage of patients with secondary infection and eczema was relatively low. There was no apparent explanation for this fact. Confirming our clinical idea, previous to this study, papule-crusted kind lesion was the form most frequently present. It corresponds to the burron disrupted by scratching.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)