Abstract
Globally, scabies affects more than 130 million people at any time. In the developed world, outbreaks in health institutions and vulnerable communities result in a significant economic burden. A review of the literature demonstrates the emergence of resistance toward classical scabicidal treatments and the lack of effectiveness of currently available scabicides in reducing the inflammatory skin reactions and pyodermal progression that occurs in predisposed patient cohorts. Tea tree oil (TTO) has demonstrated promising acaricidal effects against scabies mites in vitro and has also been successfully used as an adjuvant topical medication for the treatment of crusted scabies, including cases that did not respond to standard treatments. Emerging acaricide resistance threatens the future usefulness of currently used gold standard treatments (oral ivermectin and topical permethrin) for scabies. The imminent development of new chemical entities is doubtful. The cumulative acaricidal, antibacterial, antipruritic, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing effects of TTO may have the potential to successfully reduce the burden of scabies infection and the associated bacterial complications. This review summarizes current knowledge on the use of TTO for the treatment of scabies. On the strength of existing data for TTO, larger scale, randomized controlled clinical trials are warranted.
Highlights
Outbreaks in health institutions and vulnerable communities result in a significant economic burden
Scabies was listed as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2013.100 Preventing and decreasing morbidity associated with scabies infestation is a national public health priority in some countries
In 2010, it was estimated that the direct effects of scabies infestation on the skin alone led to more than 1.5 million years lived with disability, and the indirect effects of complications on renal and cardiovascular function were found to be far greater
Summary
Jackson Thomas,* Christine F. Carson, Greg M. Peterson, Shelley F. Walton, Kate A. Hammer, Mark Naunton, Rachel C. Davey, Tim Spelman, Pascale Dettwiller, Greg Kyle, Gabrielle M. Cooper, and Kavya E. Baby University of Canberra, Faculty of Health, Bruce, Canberra, Australia; Faculty of Health, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia; School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia and Translational Renal Research Group, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia; Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Medicine, Flinders University, Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia; Private Practice, Charnwood, Canberra, Australia
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