What are the available drugs for the treatment of scabies in Nigeria?
This article will answer the following googled questions below on scabies in Nigeria.
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Scabies also known as sweetie or craw-craw is a skin infestation caused by a mite known as the Sarcoptei scabiei.
The parasite reproduce on the surface of your skin and then burrow into it and lay eggs. Your skin reacts to the eggs causing an allergic reaction- an itchy, red rash to form on the skin.
Scabies is highly contagious condition that can easily be passed from one person to person through direct skin contact.
It may be transmitted through infested clothing or beddings.
How is scabies contracted?
Scabies is highly contagious. It can be spread in the following ways:
- prolonged skin-to-skin contact
- intimate contact, such as sexual intercourse
- sharing clothings, beddings, or towels that have been used by someone with a scabies infection.
Since scabies is mostly transmitted through direct physical contact, the infestation can easily be passed on to family members, friends, and sexual partners. The infestation may also spread quickly in:
- overcrowded areas
- schools
- camps of internally displaced persons (IDPs)
- Refugee camps
- prisons
- rehab facilities
- nursing homes
- markets
- sports locker rooms
Common symptoms of scabies
The classical symptoms of scabies include a rash and intense itching that gets worse at night.
Continuous scratching of the infected area can create sores that become infected. If this occurs, additional treatment with antibiotics for the skin infection may be required.
common sites of scabies
- elbow
- wrist
- penis
- waist
- buttocks or in-between buttocks
- scrotum
- armpit
- nipple
- groin
- area between fingers
- back of the knees
Drugs for treatment of scabies in Nigeria
Though scabies can be worrisome, the infestation can usually be treated effectively. Treatment often consists of medicines that can kill scabies mite and eggs.
Treatment of scabies in Nigeria involves getting rid of the infestation with prescription ointments, creams, and lotions that can be applied directly to the skin.
Oral medications like ivermectin or albendazole are also available. The medicines are better applied to the skin at night when the mites are most active.
The available drugs for treatment of scabies in Nigeria include:
- Permethrin cream ( Elimite): The best cream that cures scabies in Nigeria. Permetrin is a topical cream that contains chemicals that kill scabies mites and their eggs. It is safe for adults, pregnant women, and children from 2 months and above.
- Lidane lotion: This medicine-also called chemical treatment is recommeded only for people who cannot tolerate other approved treatments or for whom other treatments didn’t work. It is not safe for children.
- Crotamiton (Eurax)- the drug is available as a cream or a lotion. It is applied once a day for 2 days. There is a high rate of treatment failure in crotamiton.
- Ivermectin: Although ivermectin is not primarily used to treat scabies in Nigeria, it is has been found to be quite effective in eradicating the infestation. It is a tablet. It is taken as 200mcg single dose and then taken 7-10 days later because some developing larva that may survive the initial treatment. In Nigeria, Ivermectin price is between N1,000 to N1,500
- Albendazole: Newly found to effective against scabies in Nigeria. Taken as 200mg as a single dose.
- Benzyl benzoate: Very effective against scabies. Nomagbon company produces this lotion
- Topical antibiotics: To treat secondarily infected scabies e.g mupirocin cream.
- Topical steroids: to reduce inflammation and swelling that results from the itching/scratching e.g topical hydrocortisone.
- Antihistamines: The itching caused by scabies could be very severe and irritating. It is therefore very important to take medications that will relieve the itching. Oral anti-histamines such as loratidine, or piritin will do the magic.
- Tetmosol soap or cream: It is a local treatment for scabies in Nigeria. Tetmosol contains benzyl benzoate which is very effective scabicide.
- Oral steroids: like prednisolone will help reduce the itching and the inflammation
READ ALSO: treatment of genital warts
Sources
Mayoclinic
Healthline
