The use of videodermatoscopy to monitor treatment of scabies and pediculosis

Abstract

A great pitfall for scabies and pediculosis therapeutic studies to date is that primary and secondary study outcomes are indirectly assessed (presence or absence of live parasites, including eggs, determined by gross clinical inspection) and data time points are non-standardized (highly variable) relative to the time of therapeutic application. Videodermatoscopy (VD) is a non-invasive technique that allows a rapid and magnified in vivo observation of the skin up to ×1000 with the visualization of morphologic features invisible to the naked eye. Utilization of VD in establishing highly definitive and precise quantitative data products used in the treatment of scabies and pediculosis provides enormous advantages in the quest to establish reproducible quantitative methodology for efficacy studies in these parasitoses. VD enhances the monitoring of clinical response to treatment in scabies and pediculosis and allows determination of the optimal timing of drug application both in vivo and ex vivo. This may be particularly important in minimizing risk of overtreatment, reducing the potential for side effects, and enhancing patient compliance.

Key words::

• dermatoscopy
• pediculosis
• scabies
• treatment
• videodermatoscopy

Acknowledgement

This paper contains material (phrases, opinions, figures) from chapters of Therapy of scabies and pediculosis: Potential and pitfalls by LE West, B Nardone, DP West, and from Therapeutic monitoring of parasitoses with videodermatoscopy by G Micali, A Tedeschi, F Lacarrubba, taken from the recently published book Dermatoscopy in clinical practice: beyond pigmented lesions by G Micali, F Lacarrubba, editors, London: Informa Healthcare; 2009.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.