Scabies Unveiled! Gadap Town’s Battle Against a Silent Epidemic: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: Scabies is a neglected parasitic skin disease causing significant morbidity in overcrowded, resource-poor communities. Despite its endemic presence in Pakistan, data from peri-urban localities like Gadap Town, Karachi, remain limited, especially regarding trends in pyo scabies and gender-specific burden. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and temporal trends of scabies and pyo scabies among dermatology outpatients at a tertiary care hospital in Gadap Town, focusing on age, gender, and diagnostic shifts from 2022 to 2023. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Fatima Hospital, Baqai Medical University, Karachi. Patient records from May–December 2022 and February–July 2023 were reviewed (n = 6,710). Inclusion criteria encompassed all genders and ages with documented diagnoses of scabies or pyo scabies. Data were extracted from outpatient records, with diagnoses based on clinical evaluation. Ethical approval was obtained from the Faculty Research, Review & Ethics Committee (FRREC) on November 13, 2024, ensuring compliance with the Helsinki Declaration. Data were analyzed using SPSS v26, applying descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Results: Scabies prevalence increased from 27.1% (n = 1,078/3,984) in 2022 to 29.3% (n = 799/2,726) in 2023 (OR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.00–1.25). Pyo scabies cases rose sharply from 1.3% (n = 52) to 4.8% (n = 132) (OR = 3.85; 95% CI: 2.78–5.32), with a notable gender shift as all 2023 cases occurred in females. Non-scabies diagnoses declined (OR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.69–0.85), and a seasonal peak shifted from autumn to spring/summer. Conclusion: The findings reveal an increasing and gender-skewed burden of scabies and pyo scabies in Gadap Town, emphasizing the need for gender-sensitive surveillance, early intervention, and public health strategies tailored to seasonal and demographic patterns.