Authors

Cristina Urmeneta Roncal

Position

Enfermera. Servicio de Urgencias. Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra. Pamplona

Contact address

Cristina Urmeneta Roncal. C/ Madrid, 2. 31016 Pamplona.

Contact email: urmerizos@hotmail.com

Abstract

Thousands of refugees are coming to Europe in order to escape from war. Most of them are living in camps or in the street. Overcrowding conditions and lack of hygiene lead to the high prevalence of scabies among them. This is a condition with a 100% rate of potential cure. To this aim, it is necessary to follow a simple pharmacological therapy, as well as an adequate treatment of fomites. In principle, scabies is not a severe health problem; however, it is incapacitating due to the intense itching it causes, as well as by the additional dermal lesions and infections after scratching. In babies, this situation also causes constant and uncontrollable crying, which turns communal living into a difficult situation. Scabies presents a high rate of contagion; therefore, if not adequately treatment, all people living together will be ultimately infected. This was confirmed in the refugee camps in Greece, where over 100 persons received treatment: most of them had been living together for a few days and, regardless of this, 21% was already suffering the disease.

Keywords:

scabies; human sarcoptosis; scabiosis; permethrin; refugee camps; overcrowding

Versión en Español

Título:

Sarna en los campos de refugiados en Grecia