ISSN 2756-3391
African Journal of Parasitology Research | Vol. 14, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 757–764
DOI: 10.46882/AJPR/140757
Article Type: Full Length Research Paper
Title: Therapeutic efficacy of a single dose of ivermectin against Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis and its impact on secondary pyoderma in rural communities of Nimba County, Liberia
Names of Authors: Rufus D. Flomo¹, Augustine K. Tozay¹, Blessing S. Nyah²
Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Liberia Institute for Biomedical Research, Charlesville, Liberia. ²Department of Dermatology, John F. Kennedy Medical Center, Monrovia, Liberia.
Abstract: Scabies remains a major neglected parasitic skin disease in crowded, resource-poor settings, often leading to severe secondary bacterial infections like pyoderma. This open-label clinical trial evaluated the cure rate, symptom resolution speed, and reduction in secondary bacterial pyoderma following a single oral dose of ivermectin (200 micrograms per kilogram body weight) among 480 scabies patients in rural Liberia. Skin scrapings were evaluated using light microscopy at baseline and 14 days post-treatment. The baseline parasitological confirmation rate was 68.3 percent (n = 328) among clinical suspects, with children under 12 making up 54.2 percent of the cases. Treatment yielded a clear cure rate of 82.4 percent (n = 270/328) by day 14. Concurrently, the prevalence of secondary bacterial pyoderma dropped significantly from 41.5 percent at baseline to 12.4 percent by day 14 (P < 0.001) as skin lesions healed. Complete blood counts showed a marked decrease in eosinophil percentages among cured individuals. Linear regression associated high household sizes (greater than 6 members) with a high risk of re-infection by day 28 (r = 0.64, P < 0.01). These field validation findings confirm that oral ivermectin is highly effective, demonstrating that large-scale distribution programs can significantly reduce the burden of both scabies and secondary skin infections in endemic rural communities.
Keywords: Sarcoptes scabiei, Ivermectin, Therapeutic efficacy, Secondary pyoderma, Eosinophils, Liberia
Manuscript Timeline: Received: 20 June 2026; Revised: 18 July 2026; Accepted: 10 August 2026; Published: 27 August 2026
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