Evaluation of Serum IgE in Patients with Scabies

Abstract

In 23 patients treated for scabies infection in our hospital, serum IgE concentrations were abnormally elevated in 12 patients and normal levels in 11. Statistical analysis revealed that it requires a longer time to diagnose scabies in elevated IgE individuals than in normal IgE individuals, although the clinical symptoms were not significantly different. That result suggests that it is difficult to detect scabies in elevated IgE individuals because few scabies mites induce severe eruptions. It has been generally believed that skin manifestations of infectious diseases in large part depend on the host-parasite relationship. In the same way, cutaneous symptoms of patients with scabies are probably attributed not only to the number of mites infested but also to their constitution.