Treatment of HIV-related scabies with emphasis on the efficacy of ivermectin

Since the mid 1980s, worldwide reports confirm that scabies in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) result in a wide range of clinical manifestations which differ from those seen in immunocompetent patients. There is also general agreement that HIV related scabies is more difficult to treat. Oral ivermectin has been shown in several countries to be a safe and effective therapy. In otherwise healthy persons, one dose of 200 mu g/kg is usually curative. In HIV-related scabies, one treatment may be curative but repeated doses may be required. Crusted scabies in these individual requires a combination of oral ivermectin, total body treatments with 5% permethrin cream, and keratolytic agents to hasten removal of crusts. Copyright (C) 1997 by W.B. Saunders Company.