Abstract
We treated thirty-two scabies patients with imported permethrin cream (include nine patients who were treated for prevention of scabies). Nineteen cases were cured with permethrin cream alone applied over the entire body except for the head (but including the head in infants) twice with a one week interval. Four patients (two elderly patients, one patient with crusted scabies and another who took oral steroid for another disease) were treated with oral ivermectin and permethrin cream. Three of these four cases were cured after two doses of permethrin cream, but the patient with crusted scabies needed three doses. Nine cases were treated once with permethrin cream for prevention of scabies, because they had to keep in contact with patients with crusted scabies. These nine cases were not subsequently infected for more than six months. In all thirty-two cases, no side effects such as contact dermatitis wereseen. In five cases who underwent blood tests before and after external applications, no liver dysfunction or renal dysfunction were dectected. We hope that permethrin cream will be permitted for medical use in Japan, because it is so effective against mites and is so nontoxic that it is can be used to treat infants over two months old, pregnant women, and nursing mothers.
