Ivermectin in scabies.

The standard treatment for scabies has long been based on topical scabicides. Ivermectin, a broad-spectrum anti-parasitic agent, was first used in veterinary medicine. This drug, active against nematodes and arthropods, is used in humans for the treatment of filariasis. For the past few years worldwide reports on the use of ivermectin in human scabies have suggested that this drug could be an alternative oral therapy.