Epidemiology of scabies in Germany: multisource analysis of primary and secondary data

Abstract

Background: Scabies is one of the most common and, in terms of burden of disease, one of the most significant skin diseases worldwide. In Germany, an increase in cases is currently being discussed, for which reliable data have been lacking until now. Objectives: The goal is to clarify the prevalence and treatment of scabies in Germany. Materials and methods: Multisource analyses of treatment data from a nationwide statutory health insurance company, the Federal Statistical Office and company skin screenings. Results: In Germany, the number of cases of scabies has been rising since 2009 and especially since 2014. In the outpatient setting, there was an increase of 52.8% to around 128,000 treatment cases between 2010 and 2015. Currently, more than 11,000 inpatient cases are documented annually in Germany with scabies as the main diagnosis (ICD-10 B86). The increase between 2010 and 2016 was about 306%. The main outpatient specialist groups providing care are dermatologists and general practitioners, while in the inpatient sector treatment is provided by departments of dermatology, paediatrics and internal medicine. Conclusion: Due to the aforementioned development of prevalence and incidence, the need for care will remain at a high level in the future, which suggests an increased need for education and early detection.