A Single, Oral Dose of Ivermectin Cures Scabies

Scabies, an infestation with the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, usually responds to a single topical treatment with permethrin or lindane. In some patients, however, the infestation . . .

Scabies, an infestation with the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, usually responds to a single topical treatment with permethrin or lindane. In some patients, however, the infestation can be difficult to eradicate, even after repeated topical applications. In chronic care facilities, scabies can elude eradication even with the most aggessive topical treatments. Ivermectin, a widely used, orally administered, anthelmintic drug, has been reported to be an effective treatment for scabies. In this open-label study, ivermectin was given as a single oral dose (200 μg per kg of body weight) to patients with scabies.

Subjects included 11 otherwise healthy persons and 11 with HIV infection, 7 of whom had AIDS. No other scabicides had been used in the month be…

Reviewing Author

NH Shear and RA Johnson