Systematic Review of Institutional Scabies Outbreaks in Sub Saharan Africa

Abstract

Background: Scabies is an important global health problem largely affecting low and middle-income countries in poor and overcrowded areas. Until recently, there has been paucity of data on the epidemiology of scabies in Sub-Saharan Africa and in particular community and facility based level estimates of disease burden. The aim of this systematic review is to identify and describe the literature on institutional scabies outbreaks across Sub Saharan African countries. Methodology: International databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health), African Wide Portal and grey literature were systematically searched from July 1, 2020 to July 31, 2020. The data were analysed using STATA Version 16.1 and described through narrative synthesis. Results: Eight studies were included in this systematic review and analysed for prevalence estimation of scabies outbreaks in institutions. The outbreaks were most frequently reported in schools (n = 4) and religious institutions (n = 3). On average, scabies outbreaks persisted for 3 months (90 days) and the median attack/prevalence rate was 22.5%. Conclusion: The burden of institutional scabies outbreaks is under reported in Sub Saharan Africa . More research and practice emphasis must be paid to prevent scabies outbreaks in both community and institutional settings.