Scabies and risk of skin sores in remote Australian Aboriginal communities: A self-controlled case series study

Thu Zar Aung Phyo; Will Cuningham; Kerry Hwang; Ross M Andrews; Jonathan Carapetis; Therese Kearns; Danielle Clucas; Jodie McVernon; Julie Ann Simpson; Steven Tong; Patricia Therese Campbell

Journal article

Scabies and risk of skin sores in remote Australian Aboriginal communities: A self-controlled case series study

Thu Zar Aung Phyo, Will Cuningham, Kerry Hwang, Ross M Andrews, Jonathan Carapetis, Therese Kearns, Danielle Clucas, Jodie McVernon, Julie Ann Simpson, Steven Tong, Patricia Therese Campbell

PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES | PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE | Published : 2018

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006668

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Skin sores caused by Group A streptococcus (GAS) infection are a major public health problem in remote Aboriginal communities. Skin sores are often associated with scabies, which is evident in scabies intervention programs where a significant reduction of skin sores is seen after focusing solely on scabies control. Our study quantifies the strength of association between skin sores and scabies among Aboriginal children from the East Arnhem region in the Northern Territory. METHODS AND RESULTS: Pre-existing datasets from three published studies, which were conducted as part of the East Arnhem Healthy Skin Project (EAHSP), were analysed. Aboriginal children were followed from birth..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Patricia Campbell Author Infectious Diseases

Steven Tong Author Infectious Diseases

Julie Simpson Author Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

Ross Andrews Author Paediatrics Royal Children's Hospital

Jodie McVernon Author Infectious Diseases

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Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)

Awarded by NHMRC Principal Research Fellowship

Awarded by NHMRC Career Development Fellowship

Awarded by NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship

Funding Acknowledgements

The project is partly supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grant #1098319. JMV is supported by an NHMRC Principal Research Fellowship (#1117140); ST is supported by a NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (#1145033); and JAS is supported by a NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship (#1104975). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.