GD02: The use of dermoscopy in diagnosis of scabies

Hemn Perot

Slemani Dermatology Center, Slemani, Iraq

Owing to difficulties obtaining skin scrapings from some patients and the lack of sensitivity of classical methods in the diagnosis of scabies, dermatoscopy can be informative. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of dermatoscopy in diagnosing scabies. A cross-sectional study was carried out at the Dermatology Center of Slemnai, Iraq, from 1 June to 31 October 2015, on 202 patients with clinical suspicion of scabies. The patients had confirmed diagnosis by clinical diagnosis, dermatoscopy and skin scrapping. Studying the validity of dermatoscopy in comparison with the confirmed diagnosis revealed that the sensitivity of dermatoscopy was 91·5%, the specificity was 65%, the positive predictive value was 86%, the negative predictive value was 76·5% and the accuracy was 83·6%. There was a significant association between positive dermatoscopy results and patients with scabies with a likely or very likely clinical diagnosis (P < 0·001). Dermatoscopy is a good screening tool for scabies, especially among high-risk people. These findings may encourage health directorates to start use of dermatoscopy to screen for scabies, especially among refugees, displaced people and prisoners, and the adoption of clinical diagnosis, skin scraping and dermatoscopy as the diagnostic choice for scabies.