A Boy with an Itch: A Case Report of Genital Nodular Scabies

Abstract

Scabies is an enormous global public health problem and one of the World Health Organization’s 20 most neglected tropical diseases. Scabies affects all groups with children and elderly, particularly in resource scarce countries, among the most vulnerable in terms of prevalence, morbidity, and preventable sequalae. The medical community now recognizes the preventable life-threatening secondary complications attributable to scabies. Nodular scabies occurs in more than 10% of patients despite successful treatment of primary scabies and is particularly easy to misdiagnose. We report a case of nodular scabies in a 6-year-old child. He presented with severe deformity to the head of the penis and severe pruritis lasting for many months. Our case highlights the importance of understanding the differences in disease pathophysiology between scabietic infestation and hypersensitivity to its retained products to better direct effective treatment. Proper diagnosis and treatment of nodular scabies will undoubtedly curb secondary complications on a global scale.