ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Oral ivermectin is an alternative therapy for human scabies infection due to its ease of administration and good safety profile. However, there is no definitive consensus on the optimal dosing regimen. OBJECTIVE: To describe the treatment of human scabies with different dosages of oral ivermectin and the possible adverse events. METHODS: 23 patients with human scabies were treated with oral ivermectin: 10 patients received a single oral dose of 200µg/kg and 13 a dose of 400µg/kg. A second, or even a third dose, was administered in cases of treatment failure. RESULTS: A complete clinical response was achieved by all of the patients. The first ten patients required at least two (80%) or three (20%) doses of ivermectin for complete resolution of the infection. The remaining cases resolved with a single 400µg/kg oral dose. Within the first 72h after the administration of oral ivermectin, new cutaneous lesions were observed in eleven patients (47.8%). Cutaneous biopsies showed signs of subacute eczema. The eruption was treated with topical corticosteroids and emollient therapy. There was no other new drug administration or a history of irritants. There was no history of atopic diathesis except for one patient. CONCLUSIONS: Oral ivermectin is an effective therapy for the treatment of human scabies. A single 400µg/kg oral dose demonstrated high efficacy and good tolerance. However, the appearance of eczematous cutaneous lesions induced by oral ivermectin has not previously been reported in the literature. Dermatologists should be aware of this possible adverse event.