Infectious skin disease Delivery bottlenecks in scabies

Oral medication for scabies is running out

Although many people think that scabies have long been a thing of the past in Germany, even today the itchy skin disease appears again and again. Most recently, several illnesses were recorded in North Rhine-Westphalia. In the West German state, the only oral drug for scabies is now scarce.

Scabies was considered extinct in many people

Scabies was considered in this country for a long time as extinct. But she had never completely disappeared from the scene. There were always phases in which the itchy skin disease returned. Most recently, several cases of infectious disease were recorded in North Rhine-Westphalia. For example, a 10-year-old girl from Cologne recently became infected with it. According to a media report, the only oral drug for scabies in North Rhine-Westphalia is now in short supply.

In North Rhine-Westphalia there were several cases of scabies in recent weeks. Now the only oral drug produced in Germany for the skin disease is scarce. (Image: thodonal / fotolia.com)

Skin disease is caused by itch mites

Scabies (Scabies) is a parasitic skin disease associated with blisters, red pustules, itchy rash and pain.

The uncomfortable symptoms are caused by itch mites, which deposit the bugs and eggs in the skin of those affected, where they trigger allergic reactions. This then triggers the intense itching that gave the disease its name.

"Scabies (mites) are transmitted through close human-to-human contacts, especially during bed warming," reports the health department of the city of Bonn on its website.

"It mainly affects the skin between the fingers and behind the ears and wrinkles in the wrists, elbows, armpits, belt area, knee and feet. Sometimes you can see the mite gullies in the skin, "say the experts.

"Rarely are transmission routes through infected laundry, clothing, blankets and pets."

Skin disease is easily treatable

Health experts say the disease is good to treat. For the treatment of scabies are various preparations on the market. As a drug of choice is permethrin, a cream that is applied to the entire body surface.

According to experts, doctors only resort to alternatives in exceptional cases. One of them is the drug Scabioral. But according to a media report, this is currently scarce in NRW.

As the "Rheinische Post" (RP) reports online, Scabioral is produced in Germany only by one manufacturer (Infectopharm) - and apparently can not deliver for weeks.

According to RP, the drug is a tablet that usually destroys all itch mites in the body when taken once.

"The drug is very reliable and is especially helpful in children, in which the use of creams is often not enough," said Heinrich Rasokat, senior physician at the Department of Dermatology of the University of Cologne, opposite the newspaper.

Delivery difficulties due to increased demand

An RP survey showed that not a single pharmacy surveyed had the drug in stock. So you can not order it, since the manufacturer has had delivery problems since September. This obviously has to do with the increased demand.

"There are of course alternative treatments. Especially in not so severe cases are first creams and not tablets. But especially in cases of severe scabies and even children Scabioral is very helpful, "said Rasokat according to RP.

Even in hospitals, the drug is often not in stock, as scabies patients are usually treated on an outpatient basis, so by a doctor in private practice - and this is currently not ran to the remedy.

According to the newspaper report, you can alternatively order another product from France, but this must then be imported, and this is not paid by all health insurance companies.

In addition, the import can take up to ten days, a very long period, especially against the background that patients can infect their environment during this time.

According to RP, it is still unclear at this time, when the supply difficulties can be solved. (Ad)