A NOVEL THERAPY OF SCABIES’S DISEASE

Amalia Tri Utami 1*, Zidnal Mafaz 2, Noor Rhoziq Ghulam Pradana 3, Andi Anis Rafi Assegaf 4

Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Indonesia1,2,3,4
*E-mail: amalia1991@uin-malang.ac.id

Abstract

Objective : To know the effectiveness of ultrasonic sound to treat scabies disease. Method : The
completely randomized design used in this experiment. This research conducted at some Islamic
boarding houses in East Java, Indonesia. There are 69 samples were obtained, ranging in age from
13-24 years. These samples randomized, divided into three groups. The scabies patients treated by
permethrin 5% as the positive control. The negative control was scabies patients without any
treatment. And the last group were scabies patients treated by ultrasonic sound (70.000 Hz). The
duration of ultrasonic sound was 3 hours each night. The severity before and after treatment were
measured using the Scoring System of Severity in Scabies. Result : In ultrasonic treatment, there is a
drastic reduction in the degree of disease. In therapy using permethrin 5%, the decline is not so
significant. Meanwhile, without treatment, the degree of illness is increased. Based on the results of
the Kruskal Wallis test, the calculated chi-square value is higher than the chi-square table (61,994>
5,991). The p-value is smaller than α (0,000 <0.050), the H0 decision rejected, so it could conclude
that there is a significant difference in the average decrease in the degree of disease between
treatments. Conclussion : The ultrasonic sound can be considered as novel therapy for scabies
disease.
Keywords : Ultrasonic, Scabies, Boarding house

1. INTRODUCTION Indonesia. There are 168 samples were

Scabies is a common disease that is caused
by Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis.1 This disease
is usually characterized by skin lesions which
form straight or winding cuniculus colored
white or grey. These lesions generally located
on the thin stratum corneum.2 It usually
accompanied by itching sensation at night
(nocturnal pruritus) and quickly spreads in
dense environments.3
Scabies is a skin disease that is endemic in
tropical and subtropical climates. In Indonesia,
there are 14,798 Islamic boarding schools with
a high prevalence of scabies.4 Treatment using
permethrin 5% is felt to be less effective
because if it not done simultaneously and
massively, recurrence will occur immediately.
The scabies disease certainly makes the
students frustrated and decreased academic
value.5 As with other infectious diseases, this
disease is easily spread in dense environments,
poor hygiene, and lack of light exposure.6
obtained, ranging in age from 13-24 years.
These samples randomized, divided into three
groups. The scabies patients treated by
permethrin 5% as the positive control. The
negative control was scabies patients without
any treatment. And the last group were scabies
patients treated by ultrasonic sound (65.000
Hz).
The duration of ultrasonic sound was 3
hours each night. The severity before and after
treatment were measured using the Scoring
System of Severity in Scabies. The ANOVA is
used to analyze the mortality of scabies. The
Significant differences between treatments were
determined at P<0.05. The effectiveness of the
ultrasonic compared with the controls.

2. METHOD
The completely randomized design used in
this experiment. This research conducted at
some Islamic boarding houses in East Java,

yy
 Table 2. The Average Score of The
Table 1. The Scoring System of Severity in Scabies Severity in Scabies Disease for Each Group

Standard
Treatment Mean Notation
Deviation
Ultrasonic 4.7391 0.91539 c
Positive
Control
0.5652 0.72777 b
(Permethrin
5%)
Negative
Control (no -1.3043 0.47047 a
treatment)
Sig.
= 0.000
normality
Sig.
= 0.009
homogenity
Chi-square
= 61.994
count
p-value = 0.000
Chi-square
= 5.991
table
3. RESULT
In ultrasonic treatment, there is a drastic
reduction in the degree of disease. In therapy
4. DISCUSSION
using permethrin 5%, the decline is not so
In this research, the authors find that the
significant. Meanwhile, without treatment, the
ultrasonic sound effectively to treat scabies's
degree of illness is increased. Based on the
disease among the Islamic boarding house's
results of the Kruskal Wallis test, the calculated
students. The ultrasonic sound can destroy
chi-square value is higher than the chi-square
scabies by making scabies' egg damage so that
table (61,994> 5,991). The p-value is smaller
the contents of the liquid leak out then the eggs
than α (0,000 <0.050), the H0 decision rejected,
die.
so it could conclude that there is a significant
Besides that, the researchers found that the
difference in the average decrease in the degree
soft tissue of scabies becoming warm and
of Disease between treatments. The ultrasonic
finally collapse after using ultrasonic sound.
sound can be considered an effective method to
Ultrasonic waves can damage the internal soft
reduce the severity of scabies disease in very
tissue of scabies, and scabies will die when
short period.
blood diffuses into other parts. Also, the
researchers found there was no side effect
caused by an ultrasonic sound among Islamic
boarding house students. We are developing the
therapeutic frequency for scabies' disease. And
we found that the effective frequency is 65,000
Hz.
The researchers also try to make a simple
device that can make this device suitable in the
densely populated home. The device is known
as Electronic Ultrasonic Emitter with a version
of basic. This device consists of 4 electronic
components including the 2 pin jumper and the
black wire. The project is controlled by a
microcontroller which is the Arduino Nano
Atmega 328P. It has one speaker that emits
frequency from 20.000 Hz to 65.000 Hz. These
Figure 1. The Progression After Treatment ranges are safe and not annoying because it is
completely no noise from this device. It has a
light indicator, which is the RGB Module. The

yy
RGB is an indicator of the device to recognize Medan: Universitas Sumatera Utara;
the device is working. 2011.
6. Ratnasari AF, Sungkar S. Prevalensi
Skabies dan Faktor-faktor yang
5. CONCLUSSION berhubungan di Pesantren X, Jakarta
There is a dramatical reduction to scabies’s Timur. E-Journal Kedokteran
disease using ultrasonic sound. The Indonesia, April 2014; 2 (1) : 251-256
therapeutical frequency for scabies’s disease is .
65.000 Hz. So that, the ultrasonic sound can be
considered as novel therapy for scabies disease.

Advice
This research is a research advancement
with technology that gives a new hope for the
treatment of parasitic diseases. So it needs to be
developed for other disease therapies such as
pediculosis corporis and others diseases.

Acknowledgement
The authors want to say thank you to all the
participants that enroll this research, the
students from Darul Falah, Sabilur Rosyad, and
UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang.

REFERENCEES

1. Karimkhani C, Colombara DV,

Drucker AM, Norton SA, Hay R,
Engelman D, et al. The global burden
of scabies: a cross-sectional analysis
from the Global Burden of Disease
Study 2015. The Lancet infectious
diseases. 2017.
2. Feldmeier H, Jackson A, Ariza L et al.
The epidemiology of scabies in an
impoverished community in rural
Brazil: presence and severity of disease
are associated with poor living
conditions and illiteracy. J Am Acad
Dermatol 2009; 60: 436–443.
3. Wolff K, Goldsmith LA, Freedberg IM,
Kazt SI, Gilchrest BA, Paller AS,
Leffell DJ, editor. Dalam: Fitzpatrick’s
Dematology in general medicine. Edisi
ke-8. New York: Mc Graw-Hill;
2012.h.2148-2152.
4. Departemen Kesehatan RI. Pedoman
penyelenggaraan dan pembinaan pos
kesehatan pesantren. 2007.
Downloaded from
http://perpustakaan.depkes.go.id.
5. Sudarsono. Tanjung C. Lakswinar S.
Yusuf EA. Pengaruh skabies terhadap
prestasi belajar santri di Medan.

yy