Incidence of scabies in Michigan during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: By March of 2020, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had spread to 72 countries and was designated as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, leading to government policies enacted to keep citizens at home to reduce the spread of disease. Infectious dermatoses such as scabies are often spread by prolonged contact with infected skin. This study aims to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown procedures on the incidence of scabies in the population of Southeast Michigan through a single-centre retrospective chart review. Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown procedures on the incidence of scabies in Southeast Michigan. Methods: The number of patients diagnosed with scabies at Michigan Medicine outpatient Dermatology clinics from March 2012 to March 2022 was determined. Incidence of scabies diagnosis was compared between years before lockdown to after lockdown. Results: There was a statistically significant decrease in the proportion of total dermatology patients diagnosed with scabies at our institution from March 2020 through March 2022 compared with March 2012 through March 2020. Conclusions: These results differ from trends previously reported in European populations. Although the reason for this disparity in incidence of scabies is unclear, contributing factors may include restrictions on visitor policies and inter-resident contact in long-term care facilities, use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19, and temporary closure of daycare centres.