Prevalence and Clinical Variants of Scabies at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda

Background Scabies affects an estimated 200 million people globally. Despite its designation as a neglected tropical disease by the WHO in 2017, local data on its burden remain scarce. Objectives To assess the prevalence and describe clinical variants of scabies infestation amongst patients seen at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) Skin Clinic. Methods The study utilised a hospital‐based cross‐sectional descriptive design at MRRH Skin Clinic from December 2024 to February 2025. Data collection involved clinical examination, structured questionnaires, and diagnostic tests performed by the principal investigator and trained research assistants under the supervision of a certified dermatologist. Findings were analysed using Stata version 17. Results A total of 540 participants were enroled, with 34 diagnosed with scabies infestation, yielding a prevalence of 6.30% (CI 4.25%–8.34%). The majority of cases presented with erythematous papules (classical) as predominant primary lesions ( n = 22; 64.71%) with other rare presentations such as vesicular, pustular, nodular, and mixed type being equally represented ( n = 3; 8.82%, each). Conclusions Scabies infestation prevalence was 6.30%. Atypical presentation of scabies included bullous, pustular, nodular, and mixed types.