Doctors across the UK are reporting a surge in scabies cases, with the north of England seeing double the normal number of cases in November. The rise comes amid an acute shortage of the two main treatments, permethrin and malathion, due to supply chain issues, the war in Ukraine, and rising raw material costs.
Dermatologists and GPs warn that the situation poses a major public health threat, as the lack of swift treatment allows the highly contagious condition to spread. Outbreaks have been reported in care homes, nursing homes, and university accommodation, with medics describing the situation as an 'absolute nightmare'.
A survey by the British Association of Dermatologists found that eight of nine regional representatives reported an increase in scabies this year, and seven of nine reported shortages of the two main treatments. National tracking of scabies cases is 'very limited', suggesting the problem could be worse than feared.
Prof Mabs Chowdhury, president of the British Association of Dermatologists, said: 'The shortage of scabies treatments is something that urgently needs more attention. The public health calculation is not particularly complex – scabies spreads easily and if people aren’t treated, then it will continue to spread.'
Some patients have resorted to buying expensive alternative treatments online from outside the UK. Prof Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, noted that since July, GP presentations for scabies have been consistently above the five-year average, with rates in late November reaching three per 100,000 – double the seasonal norm.
