Comaprison of Permethrin 5% Cream Versus Ivermectin in the Treatment of Scabies.

Abstract

Background: Scabies is a common infestation caused by the scabies mite, Sarcoptes scabie var hominis. It is highly contagious usually affecting all the members of a household. It is of public health importance as more than 100 million people are believed to be affected world wide. Permethrin 5% is considered to be the mainstay of treatment, however oral ivermectin is also believed to be efficous.

Aims and Objective: The study was carried out to compare the efficacy of permethrin 5% versus oral ivermectin in the treatment of scabies.

Materials and methods: A total of 120 patients with scabies who attended the out patient department of Civil Hospital, Dharwad between Jan 2022 to Jan 2023 were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups of 60 each .. One group was given topical Permethrin 5% cream and other group was given oral ivermectin 12 mg two doses 2 weeks apart. They were evaluated at 2 weeks and 4 weeks for resolution of their symtoms.

Results: At the end of two weeks 42 out of 60 patients treated witb permethrin 5 % cream had resolution of their symtoms and 38 out of 60 patients treated with oral ivermectin had resolution of their symptoms. At the end of 4 weeks 51 patients treated with permethrin 5% had resolution of symtoms and 50 patients treated with oral ivermectin had resolution of their symptoms. The study showed that both topical permethrin and oral ivermectin are equally effective in the treatment of scabies with no statistical significance between the two.

Conclusion: Both oral ivermectin and topical permethrin 5% are effective in the treatment of scabies. Oral ivermectin should be preferred as the it is more convenient and has better compliance as compared to topical Permethrin 5%.