Professional Documents
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Scabies
Scabies
Scabies is a frequent skin disease suffered by of the tribal (adivasi) children attending residential
schools. The humid living conditions, crowding, poor personal hygiene, and inadequate nutritional
status of the children poses formidable challenges in the management of this disorder. Prolonged
allopathic treatment often fails to eradicate the infection in this unfortunate population. Infection and
other complications are common.
A prospective, randomized controlled, single blind study was carried out during the period November
2004 to December 2007 to explore the efficacy of homoeopathic treatment in tackling scabies infection
and controlling the spread.
300 cases were enrolled and divided into three treatment groups i.e. constitutional group, acute / sector
group and placebo group. Scabies infection was diagnosed by the dermatologist and graded as per the
severity of infection and children were observed for 2 years. All treatment groups were subjected to
standard hygienic measures during the course of the study.
Results were analyzed at the end of each year. 90% of the children from constitutional group improved
st
at the end of the 1 year whereas 27% from the acute and 4% from the placebo group improved. At the
end of the second year, the rate of improvement of the constitutional group rose to 98% whereas 48%
from the acute and 12% from placebo group improved. The prevalence of scabies in the school dropped
from 52% to 17% at a time when the prevalence of scabies in the residential schools in the area did not
show any reduction.
The results demonstrated statistically significant improvement in the constitutional group as compared
to the response in the acute and the placebo groups. It is concluded that the constitutional approach
holds great promise in the cure and control of treatment of infective skin conditions in a closed group.
The results also highlight the efficacy of homoeopathic medicines at a community level thus opening up
the vast untapped area of community medicine to homoeopathic interventions.
Keywords: scabies; constitutional treatment; randomized controlled study; homoeopathy; community
medicine
33
Role of homoeopathic treatment in scabies infection in adivasi children attending ashram shalas (resident schools)
Chandrasekhar Goda1*, et al
secondarily infected. Scalp, face, palms and soles Materials and Methods
rarely get the secondary infection.
Randomized, placebo controlled, single blind study
The diagnosis is established mainly from the was carried out during the period Nov. 2004 to Dec
history and examination findings. Presence of a 2007, at the Dr. M. L. Dhawale Memorial Trust's
burrow with a characteristic pattern of the lesions, Community Health Centre, Bhopoli, Taluka
intense itching and history of similar complaints in Vikramgarh, Dist. Thane. Dagadipada and Bhopoli
the past or in the family members are the cardinal residential school of Vikramgrah taluka, Thane
features of scabies. district were selected for conducting the study. 315
children residing in the tribal schools between the
From the homoeopathic angle, this state is
age groups 6 to 15 years having scabies were
seen as a chronic and deep affliction needing the
enrolled for the study. The severity of the disease
use of deep-acting constitutional forces to correct
differs from time to time. Hence, to quantify the
the underlying susceptibility thereby improving the
severity in a uniform way it was graded as shown in
immunity to deal with the chronic infection. The
the Table 1. This was done with the help of
strategy for tackling the illness has been to use the
dermatologist. There is no such ready classification
Constitutional remedy. Occasionally there is a need
available in the textbooks of dermatology.
of acute remedies to take care of severe super-
The children were randomly divided into 3
added skin infections.
groups. The first group received constitutional
Aim treatment, the second group received acute / sector
treatment and the third group which acted as a
To explore and assess the role of homoeopathic control received placebo. Common hygienic
constitutional treatment in treating cases of Scabies measures were maintained for all the three groups.
infection. The baseline observations were taken after one
month of enrollment. In this first month, the hygienic
Objectives measures were standardized across all the groups.
1. To assess the efficacy of homoeopathic treatment They were observed over a 2 year period. Children
were observed for two years with the treatment. In
in the prevention of recurrence of the infection.
the third year the observations were recorded
2. To evolve a general strategy in managing this without any treatment being administered to any of
common paediatric skin infection. the groups. However, the hygienic measures were
continued even in this period.
Table 1-Clinical criteria for grading of scabies
Thus by understanding the susceptibility one this. Various aspects of posology like potency, dose
understands how the person reacts to different stimuli. repetition are dependent on the level of susceptibility.
The characteristics expression and pathology guide in
Graph 1-Change in the susceptibility across the groups at the end of 2 years
120
90 98 100
100
80
60 47
38
40
15
20
9 1 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
Before Rx. 1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year
50 45
45 39 39
40 35 36
34
35 28 28
30 26 26
25 21
20
20 12
15
7
10
4
5
0
0
Before Rx. 1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year
Graphs 2, 3 & 4 clearly show that in the constitutional group, 90% of the
children improved within one year whereas 27% cases in the acute
group and 4% in the placebo group improved.
Graph 5 shows the rate of commencement of In the acute group, 32% showed changes
improvement across the groups. In the constitutional within the first week. Then from the subsequent
st
group, the response was immediate i.e. from the 1 weeks, rate of improvement was not linear. Placebo
week itself. 62 children had shown improvement by group showed no change in the first week.
st
the end of the 1 week whereas 16% of cases
nd
started improvement from the 2 week.
This study shows the efficacy of homoeopathic Efficacy of any treatment strategy is also dependent on
medicines in the treatment of scabies infection. the rate of response. In a contagious infection like
Constitutional medicines are prescribed based on scabies, a gradual response is expected when the
the totality comprising of physical as well as mental overall hygienic condition improves. If the response is
symptoms. Scabies, being a chronic disease, has faster, it will not only lessen the suffering of that case
responded promptly to the constitutional approach. but will also reduce the risks of cross infection. The
90% cases improved at the end of one year of improvement in the constitutional group is immediate.
treatment. 62 % cases improved during the 1st week itself. In other
words, we can say that when the similimum is
In some cases where the susceptibility is on the
prescribed, improvement should start within 2 weeks.
lower side the characteristic constitutional symptoms
This will help in judging the remedy response. The
are not available. On the other hand, sometimes the
Acute group has shown a mixed pattern of response in
case presents with characteristics symptoms at the
the rate of improvement. It also responded faster when
the scabies were present in the same area where Observations carried out at the end of the third
the remedy has affinity to that location. It is year were without any treatment to any of the
important to note that none of the children from the groups. None of the children had scabies in the third
Placebo group improved in the first week. year from the constitutional group whereas 24%
Statistical analysis children had recurrence from the acute group. Only
12% children were free of scabies in the third year in
Chi-Square test was applied to assess the statistical the Placebo group. The severity of infection was less
significance of the results. The difference between in both Acute as well as Placebo group.
Constitutional group Vs Placebo group was p < 0.01
and that between the Constitutional group Vs. Acute Collective community susceptibility
group was p < 0.01. The results of both these
This project was carried out in a residential school. It
groups are statistically significant. However, the
was a closed community. In a closed community there
difference of the result between Acute group Vs.
is generally a balance struck between the agent, the
Placebo group was not statistically significant.
host and the environment. When this balance is
Recurrence of scabies disturbed in an unfavorable manner, contagious
Scabies is known to have seasonal fluctuations. It infections like scabies break open. In such instances
becomes dormant during unfavorable the chances of cross infections are very high. When
circumstances. Therefore, results cannot be analyzing the responses at the individual and at the
confirmed until cases are observed over a group level we need to take into consideration the
sufficiently prolonged period. The results of the overall load of scabies infection in that school.
second year show the efficacy more clearly. There is
When the project was started the prevalence of
improvement in all the three groups. More cases as
scabies was 57%. At the end of one year of treatment,
compared to first year are becoming free of scabies
it had come down to 32%. The prevalence further
albeit at different rates across groups. At the same
reduced to 27 % at the end of the second year. The
time the severity of the infection is reducing across
the groups. In the constitutional group only 2% interesting finding was at the end of the third year when
children showed a recurrence and that too of a mild treatment had ceased the prevalence rate had dropped
variety. In the Acute group, 48% children improved to just 17%. That means there was a drastic reduction
whereas 12% children were cured in Placebo group. in the scabies infection in the school.
60
50
40
30
26
20
17
10
0
Before starting the End of 1st year End of 2nd year End of 3rd year
treatment
Prevalence
If we understand this response from the point of b. Homoeopathic constitutional medicines to all
susceptibility, which is the cornerstone concept in scabies affected cases where susceptibility
Homoeopathy, we note that there was moderate was in moderate zone. Cases having low
susceptibility in 83% of the cases at the susceptibility and having severe secondary
commencement of treatment. With treatment and infections do not respond to this mode of
change brought about through hygienic measures treatment.
for three years, 65% of cases showed improvement c. Homoeopathic acute medicines to those
in their level of susceptibility. Therefore, there was
having low susceptibility.
an overall change in all the groups. That means they
have collectively improved. In this study, since the d. After acute treatment, completing the cure
susceptibility of 65% cases had improved with the constitutional medicines
individually the collective impact can be seen. These administering the indicated constitutional
observations suggest the presence of an entity like a medicine.
Collective Community Susceptibility. Acknowledgements
This brings out a different perspective in the Authors thank Department of AYUSH for funding the
homeopathic management of infective conditions in project. Authors also acknowledge the contribution
a closed community i.e. Role of Homoeopathic of Prof. Dr. C. Nayak, Director General, and Dr. Anil
medicines in the area of Community Medicine. Khurana, Asstt. Director, CCRH for close
Homoeopathic treatment not only helps the patient supervision of the project. Authors are grateful to Dr.
who is under treatment but it also prevents others Kumar Dhawale, Hon. Director, Dr. M L Dhawale
not under treatment from being infected. This aspect Memorial Organizations for support and technical
of the preventive action of Homoeopathic medicines guidance in completing and conceptualizing the
as a Community Medicine needs to be verified by project and the results.
further research work.
References
Conclusions
1. Stone S, Stephen P. Scabies. Fitzpatrick's
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2. Homoeopathic medicines prevent the recurrence
Bhalani Publishing House, Mumbai, 2002: 422.
of Scabies.
3. Gupta R, Manchanda R K. Text Book of Dermatology
st
3. Constitutional approach is useful in curing for Homoeopathy, 1 edition. B Jain Pub. Ltd, New
scabies infections in the paediatric age group. It Delhi, 2005: 98.
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administration of the constitutional medicines. nd
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