DRUG SHORTAGES LED TO SURGE IN CASES

SHORTAGES of scabies treatments are contributing to a surge in cases, writes Poppy Atkinson Gibson.

There is particular concern about the problem spreading in care homes, university halls of residence and other communal living facilities, Professor Mabs Chowdhury, president of the British Association of Dermatologists, has warned.

The condition can be treated with overthe-counter insecticide creams containing permethrin and malathion, alongside hydrocortisone creams to ease the itch.

However, increased patient demand and manufacturing difficulties led to a shortage. ‘This may have caused an exponential increase in scabies cases if people couldn’t get treatment and infected others,’ says dermatologist Dr Mia Jing Gao.

Another problem is that patients ‘could be trying to find remedies for itching rather than getting treated for the mites themselves’, adds Dr Jonathan Silcock, an associate professor in pharmacy practice at Bradford University. ‘As a result, the infection spreads because people are not being treated with the right thing.’

Dr Jing Gao says cases have been increasing since the end of lockdowns — ‘it may be that people are just living their lives to the full again and coming into contact with more people’. Another factor is that ‘scabies mites are spread by everyone being huddled together indoors,’ explains Thorrun Govind, former chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. ‘If you caught scabies with all the mixing at Christmas and New Year it could take four to eight weeks for any symptoms.’

The anti-itch creams shortage is expected to last until April; insecticide creams are reportedly back in stock.