In Belgium, since the end of last year, more and more cases of scabies, also known as sarcoptic mange, have been reported. We are talking about a disease that had been almost completely eradicated, but which now seems to be making a comeback again.
Belgium has been dealing with an increasing number of scabies cases since the end of last year. Scabies is one skin disease due to a parasitic mite that mainly causes an extremely annoying itch. This is why in Latin “scabere” really means “scratching”.
But in addition to itching, this infection is easily transmitted with one very fast spread. We are talking, however, of a disease that had been almost completely eradicated, but which now seems to have made a comeback again.
In an article in ‘The Brussels Times’, we read that pharmacists in Antwerp have practically out of all medications against scabies. In short, we are facing a truly exponential and uncontrolled increase in cases of skin disease. Scientists, in fact, have not yet found an answer on the growing cases of scabies that are putting the Belgian population in crisis, but above all they do not yet know where the infection could have originated and what caused it. Which makes everything extremely fickle at the moment.
Scabies: what do we know so far?
“We don’t have a definitive answer. It might have to do with the migration flows or with hygiene, but it could also be due to the fact that the students have a close contact again or because the ointment (against scabies, ed) works less effectively than before “. Dr. Steven Van Den Broucke of the Tropical Institute explained, as always reported by ‘The Brussels Times’
“This mite is a notoriously difficult animal to investigate,” added Van Den Broucke. “Finally, it is also difficult because in reality you have to keep under observation all those who have come into contact with the insect and not just those who are worse off at the moment”. The situation, in this case, becomes complicated because there is not even one antibiogramma, that is a test that allows to identify the most effective antibiotic against infectious diseases such as scabies. But not only.
Many people, in fact, they are ashamed to say that he got scabies, as if it were some kind of stigma that is difficult to live with. This attitude, however, is not only counterproductive, because it delays both treatment and prevention times, but it is also wrong.
As Van Den Broucke pointed out, there’s nothing wrong with admitting you’re infected. “The scabies it can happen to anyone and occurs in every social stratum. It is not related to a lack of hygiene; close contact with an infected person may be enough “.
“We have about ten patients a day. However, the supply of drugs – small pills – dwindles rapidly. Pharmacies in Antwerp also have problems with inventory, in part due to supply problems international ”, explained the doctor again as reported by ‘The Brussels Times”.
Yet, according to the Belgian website of the Federal Medicines Agency, it would not be one shortage nationwiderather than a problem confined to Antwerp.