Factors associated with scabies outbreaks in primary schools in Ethiopia: a case–control study

• Main Authors: Ejigu K, Haji Y, Toma A, Tadesse BT
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2019
• Subjects: Scabies outbreak; primary school; Ethiopia; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/7a217ca3d59d4dd893e40f445825d1b7

Kefele Ejigu,1 Yusuf Haji,1 Alemayehu Toma,2 Birkneh Tilahun Tadesse31Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia; 2Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia; 3Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Birkneh Tilahun TadesseDepartment of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences Hawassa University, PO Box 1560, Hawassa, EthiopiaTel [phone]Email [e-mail]: Scabies is a neglected tropical disease affecting more than 200 million people worldwide every year. Scabies in school adolescents and young adults could affect their school performance. The current study investigates the factors associated with an outbreak of scabies at primary schools in southern Ethiopia.Method: A team of health professionals investigated an outbreak of scabies that occurred in primary schools from May 1 to 30, 2018. An unmatched case–control study was employed to assess factors which predisposed for the scabies outbreak. Cases of scabies were individuals having a skin lesion compatible with the WHO case definitions of scabies. Controls were from the same locality with no skin lesions. Data on sociodemographic and behavioral variables were collected using questionnaires. Data on clinical presentations of scabies among cases were recorded by two trained andexperienced health professionals. Factors associated with scabies were assessed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression, and strength of association was described using odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results: A total of 711 (237 cases and 474 controls) study subjects participated in the study. The mean age of study participants was 17.56±2.66 years. Poor knowledge about scabies, adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=4.32 ...