The frequency of scabies among children at prince hashem bin al-hussein hospital

Abstract EN

Objective: To determine the frequency of scabies among children at Prince Hashem Bin Al-Hussein Hospital.

Methods: Over a period of six months from July to December 1999, 216 patients (aged from one day to 14 years) who attended the dermatology clinic were examined to identify the frequency of scabies among this group of children.

The median age was 5.6 years in males and 4.5 years in females.

The median age of both sexes was 4.9 years.

Results: A total of 6540 children attended the dermatology clinic during the study period, 216 of them representing 3.3% were infested with scabies.

Females outnumbered males at a ratio of 1.5:1.

Cases peaked during winter and the extremities were the most common affected sites.

Conclusion: The frequency of scabies among children is relatively high, and it is more common in females than in males with a ratio of 1.5:1.