ABSTRACT
Objectives: Scabies has a different epidemiological distribution among different communities worldwide due to different social factors, management approaches and healthcare policies. The present study came to address outbreaks of scabies according to the social factors in west of Iran. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, using the census sampling method, all consecutive patients with the primary diagnosis of scabies based on clinical manifestations referred to healthcare center throughout the two great provinces of Hamadan and Kermanshah at western Iran between March 2006 and February 2010 were enrolled into the study. The baseline characteristics were collected from recorded files at the healthcare centers or by interviewing with the affected patients. Results: Among 3,625,966 subjects covered by the two studied provinces, 177 cases of scabies (170 cases in Kermanshah and 7 cases in Hamadan) were identified by medical staff at the healthcare centers according to clinical manifestations (85.3%) and laboratory microscopic assessments (14.7%). The highest and the lowest prevalence rates were specified to 2009 (58.2%) and 2008 (1.7%). Regarding gender distribution of disease, 53.1% of men and 46.9% of women suffered from scabies with no significant discrepancy. In respect to age distribution of disease, the highest rates of scabies were revealed in the ages ranged 17 to 30 years (31.6%), followed by younger than 17 years (30.5%). The prevalence of scabies was dependently associated with residency in rural areas, family history of scabies, lower educational level, household density, lower monthly income, low personal hygiene, the existence of livestock or rodents at home, seasonal conditions, and movement to contaminated areas. Conclusion: West region of Iran especially Kermanshah province faced with high prevalence and this high disease burden can be determined by some potential factors such as residency in rural areas, family history of scabies, lower educational level, household density, lower monthly income, low personal hygiene, the existence of livestock or rodents at home, seasonal conditions, and movement to contaminated areas.