02223nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653001300054653003200067653002900099653001900128653001200147100001200159700001600171700001300187700001200200700001400212700001200226700001400238245014900252520156600401022001401967       2023                            d  c09/202310aEthiopia10aNeglected Tropical Diseases10aMass drug administration10aonchocerciasis10aScabies1 aYirgu R1 aMiddleton J1 aFekadu A1 aDavey G1 aBremner S1 aJones C1 aCassell J00aNo secondary impact of ivermectin mass drug administration for onchocerciasis elimination on the prevalence of scabies in northwestern Ethiopia.3 a<p><strong>Background: </strong>Mass drug administration (MDA) is among the five major strategies that are currently in use to control, eliminate or eradicate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). Optimising MDA to control multiple NTDs maximises impact. The objective of this study is to estimate the secondary impact of ivermectin MDA for onchocerciasis on the prevalence of scabies.</p>

<p><strong>Methods: </strong>This quasi-experimental study was conducted in Ayu Guagusa district, northwestern Ethiopia. Scabies prevalence was estimated in surveys before the MDA, at 6 and 12&nbsp;months afterwards. The sample size was 1437 people from a panel of 381 randomly selected study households. Multistage sampling was employed in randomly selecting six kebeles (the lowest administrative unit) with respective gotes (small villages) and households. All members of the selected households were invited to participate in the study and participants who were available in all three surveys formed a cohort.</p>

<p><strong>Results: </strong>Scabies prevalence was similar prior to the MDA (13.4%, 95% CI 11.7 to 15.2%) and 6 months after (11.7%, 95% CI 10.1 to 13.2%) but was substantially greater at 12 months (22.1%, 95% CI 20.1 to 24.1%). The 6-month incidence and disappearance rates were 10.8% (95% CI 8.8 to 13.2%) and 82.6% (95% CI 75.0 to 88.6%), respectively.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Ivermectin MDA for onchocerciasis was not observed to have a secondary impact on the prevalence of scabies over the follow-up period of 12 months.</p>
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