Scabies on a newborn: a different presentation of a neglected not so tropical disease
0
True
Scabies is the most common neglected tropical disease with cutaneous manifestations, disproportionately affecting socially disadvantaged populations living in overcrowded settings.1 In 2017 it was included by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the group of the tropical neglected diseases.2
The transmission between human beings occurs mainly by skin-to-skin contact and the responsible mite is Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis, an obligatory human parasite.3
The most common presentation is characterized by a generalized pruritus, predominantly nocturnal, with micropapules in typical locations such as flexors folds, cubital margins of hands, anterior side of the wrists, anterior axillae, around nipples, external male genital organs, and internal side of thighs. It is a clinical diagnosis and requires an adequate degree of suspicion.1
However, the clinical presentation of scabies can be notably different and challenging to recognize in neonates, especially for physicians who are not used to see it.4
Given the potential for atypical manifestations and diagnostic delays in this vulnerable population, we present a case of neonatal scabies in a 25-day-old infant from a marginalized community in the south of Portugal, emphasising diagnostic challenges, management, and the importance of treatment adherence.