A Case of Norwegian Scabies in a Kidney Transplant Patient.

INTRODUCTION

Crusted scabies (Norwegian scabies) is a rare and severe presentation of skin infestation caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei in patients with compromised cellular immunity. Kidney transplant patients are maintained on immunosuppressive agents, which induce impaired T cell immune response that can lead to increased risk of crusted scabies.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of crusted scabies in a kidney transplant patient who presented with a diffuse skin rash. Diagnosis was delayed and misdiagnosed initially, with subsequent skin biopsy leading to an accurate diagnosis and complete recovery with definitive treatment.

DISCUSSION: Unlike classical scabies, crusted scabies can occur in an atypical pattern that can be misdiagnosed as common skin lesions, and a skin biopsy is crucial to obtain an accurate diagnosis to receive definitive treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Transplant recipients are at an increased risk of severe parasitic infections such as crusted scabies due to drug-induced impairment of their cell-mediated immune response, thus maintaining a high index of suspicion for crusted scabies as a differential diagnosis in transplant kidney patients is extremely important. Early histological diagnosis of crusted scabies is essential to prevent delayed or missed diagnosis and avoid unnecessary serious complications. The combination of an oral ivermectin and topical permethrin regimen resulted in excellent clinical outcomes in our case and is recommended as the standard treatment.