There are prejudices and fears about the spread of scabies. THL's expert explains what is known about scabies transmission.
Will Malta pay people with scabies living in Finland soon for not paying on time?
The number of scurvy diagnoses recorded in THL's Avohilmo system has grown explosively in recent years. As many as 21,355 cases have been registered across the country in 2022, while 37,190 cases have already been registered next year.
In the Helsinki and Usima Hospital District (Hus), there were more patients who had failed previous scabies treatments.
Permethrin, used to treat scabies, no longer works reliably, doctors and patients say.
Huss: Expensive twist
Hus's expert Stupid social intervention The article is published on Husi's website.
Medicines for scabies are expensive. Kela did not support them. If ticks cannot be controlled, scabies will continue to spread.
A cycle is born, which is Huss' Skin Diseases Line Manager, Senior Physician Katarina Hannula-Juppi Describes it as unfair to patients and families.
Plus, according to Hannula-Jupp, the cycle is expensive for everyone.
– Due to lack of funding, poor treatment during scabies outbreaks creates significant costs for the health care system and is an unfair situation for an individual patient or family, Hanula-Juppi Husi says in the article.
THL: No information on transmission of scabies
How severe is scabies in Finland?
Based on the research data, not much can be said about the current scabies situation in Finland, says THL's chief physician. Leaf feast.
Has the number of scabies cases really exploded — or not?
The number of diagnoses registered in THL's Avohilmo system has increased across the country. Lagoma says there could be several factors behind it. For example, scabies may be better identified today than in the past.
In Finland, measles infections are not monitored as systematically as, for example, influenza or norovirus. When there is news about an increase in influenza and noro cases, we talk about laboratory-confirmed cases.
Syhy's situation is different. The doctor may have provided the diagnosis, for example, over the phone.
The number provided by the computer is imprecise in the sense that it records only syphilitic diagnoses. If there are multiple infections in the same family, only one diagnosis is often recorded. Some cases are hidden.
“very rare”
According to Lagoma, there is no scientific evidence for the drug's ineffectiveness.
Scabies resistance is difficult to study. In Finland, two different medicines are mainly used for scabies, permethrin cream and ivermectin tablets.
– Developing fungal resistance to two different drugs is extremely rare, Lakoma says.
The reason for the drug's ineffectiveness can sometimes be the wrong way of using it. Remember to add permethrin cream after washing your hands. The cream should work for a long time all over the body.
– Put cotton gloves on your hands at night so the cream doesn't rub off, Lagoma says.
What if the increase in the number of diagnoses is a symptom of an uncontrollable true scabies spiral?
– Lacoma says that scabies has always been in communities and we will probably never get rid of it completely.
– Scabies is an unpleasant problem, but it is not dangerous. I recommend treating the scabies anyway. If you scratch a lot, secondary inflammation of the skin can have more serious consequences.
Shame on the trash
Besides costing money, seeking a syphilitic diagnosis can be made difficult by embarrassment.
According to Lagoma, a scabies infection is like the flu or a stomach bug: it can strike anyone.
– Scabies is everywhere in society. There is no need to be ashamed of it.
The most obvious symptom of scabies is painful itching, especially in the evening and at night. Photo: Adobe Stock / AOP
