Prevalence of pediculosis and scabies in the prisoners of Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan province, Iran

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of active pediculosis and scabies among prisoners prompted us to conduct a head louse and scabies prevalence survey among prisoners in the Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan province, Iran. During the study, 67 patients with skin disorders were found. Among the doubtful patients who were considered 38 patients (57%) indicated Sarcoptes scabiei, 6 patients (9%) were indicated lice and 23 patients (33%) were set aside for more studying and specialized tests. Contamination rates were 18.4, 10.5 and 10.5% in the youths, drug abusers and kitchen units, respectively. Adults, foreigners and quarantine units were contaminated 7.9, 5.3 and 5.3%, respectively. In cheque and military units, no contamination was observed because of the higher hygienic status. Morbidity rate in the individual and technical units was 2.5%. The highest and the least morbidity rates were observed among 20-29 year age group (55.2%) and over 50 year age group (2.6%). The average and the mean ages of the 38 patients that contaminated to Sarcoptes scabiei was 29±8 and 28 years, respectively. The least and the highest contamination ages were 18 and 59 years, respectively. The affirmative Sarcoptes scabiei cases in the different units indicated that the general units had the most morbidity percentage because there were many prisoners with different cultural backgrounds (26.3%). © 2007 Asian Network for Scientific Information.