<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_sjph-2020-0033_s_006">
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>The aim of our study was to examine the scabies incidence in the Croatian population and to analyse potential related factors.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2020-0033_s_007">
<h3>Methods</h3>
<p>This mixed ecological study is based on a retrospective medical record review. National data from communicable disease reports was sourced and analysed for an 11-year period (2007-2017), with more focus on the period 2014-2017. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate trends. Differences between the groups were studied using Chi-square test and Kendall’s tau (τ) correlation coefficient. Levels of significance were set at p&lt;0.05 or p&lt;0.01.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2020-0033_s_008">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>From 2007 to 2017, scabies infestation in Croatia increased by 6-fold, particularly affecting children and young adults (19 years or younger). In the period 2014-2017, border counties which are part of migration flows were the counties with the highest average scabies incidences. A linear trend of increase in the number of tourists, immigrants and scabies infestations was noted on the national level for the analysed period, although a significant association was not observed. Regarding outbreaks of scabies within institutions, more than 80% of outbreaks occurred in institutions for adults. In the capital, Zagreb, the crude incidence rate increased 3-fold between 2014 and 2017.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2020-0033_s_009">
<h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>The increased incidence of scabies, large disparities between counties, and prolonged outbreaks within families due to under-recognition and misdiagnoses points to a need for increased awareness among health practitioners. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first recent epidemiologic analysis on this topic, not only in Croatia but within the wider geographic region as well.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
The aim of our study was to examine the scabies incidence in the Croatian population and to analyse potential related factors.

Methods
This mixed ecological study is based on a retrospective medical record review. National data from communicable disease reports was sourced and analysed for an 11-year period (2007-2017), with more focus on the period 2014-2017. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate trends. Differences between the groups were studied using Chi-square test and Kendall’s tau (τ) correlation coefficient. Levels of significance were set at p<0.05 or p<0.01.

Results
From 2007 to 2017, scabies infestation in Croatia increased by 6-fold, particularly affecting children and young adults (19 years or younger). In the period 2014-2017, border counties which are part of migration flows were the counties with the highest average scabies incidences. A linear trend of increase in the number of tourists, immigrants and scabies infestations was noted on the national level for the analysed period, although a significant association was not observed. Regarding outbreaks of scabies within institutions, more than 80% of outbreaks occurred in institutions for adults. In the capital, Zagreb, the crude incidence rate increased 3-fold between 2014 and 2017.

Conclusions
The increased incidence of scabies, large disparities between counties, and prolonged outbreaks within families due to under-recognition and misdiagnoses points to a need for increased awareness among health practitioners. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first recent epidemiologic analysis on this topic, not only in Croatia but within the wider geographic region as well.

An increasing scabies incidence in Croatia: A call for coordinated action among dermatologists, physicians and epidemiologists

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Večanje pojavnosti skabiesa na Hrvaškem: Poziv k usklajenemu ukrepanju dermatologov, splošnih zdravnikov in epidemiologov

Introduction
The aim of our study was to examine the scabies incidence in the Croatian population and to analyse potential related factors.

Methods
This mixed...

An increasing scabies incidence in Croatia: A call for coordinated action among dermatologists, physicians and epidemiologists

Article Category: Research Article

Publicado en línea: 18 oct 2020

Páginas: 264 - 272

Recibido: 12 may 2020

Aceptado: 18 sept 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2020-0033

Palabras clave
scabies, epidemiology, outbreaks, Croatia, neglected tropical diseases

© 2020 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

An increasing scabies incidence in Croatia: A call for coordinated action among dermatologists, physicians and epidemiologists

Article Category: Research Article

Publicado en línea: 18 oct 2020

Páginas: 264 - 272

Recibido: 12 may 2020

Aceptado: 18 sept 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2020-0033

Palabras clavescabies, epidemiology, outbreaks, Croatia, neglected tropical diseases

© 2020 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Palabras clave
scabies, epidemiology, outbreaks, Croatia, neglected tropical diseases