A Multi-facility Collaboration to Reduce the Transmission of Crusted Scabies

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

8:00 AM - 8:30 AM PT

Location: North Room 124

CE: 0

AEU Credits: 0
CME Credits: 0
CNE Credits: 0
HSPA Credits: 0.5
IPCH Credits: 0
IPU Credits: 0

Presenter(s)

Todd Hertel, MLS(ASCP)CM, CHS(ACHI), CIC (he/him/his)

Infection Preventionist
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center - James Comprehensive Cancer Center
Delaware, Ohio

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

PDF

Moderator(s)

Gladys Griffin, PMH, CIC

Infection Preventionist II
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

Session

Description: This session addresses actions taken by a large academic medical center, which serves as a receiving institution for a congregated living facility with previously confirmed crusted scabies infections. Simple, but important, and easily overlooked infection prevention strategies are discussed and analyzed. The involvement and collaboration between the receiving institution, transferring institution, and corresponding health departments is outlined.

Dermatologists at the academic medical center diagnosed two cases of crusted scabies originating from one outside facility within one calendar year. Upon diagnosis, Infection Prevention was immediately notified. After each diagnosis, an employee exposure workup was completed and post-exposure prophylaxis for employees was offered. Additionally, there was evidence of patient to staff transmission. Since there was concern of ongoing transmission within the transferring facility, the academic medical center initiated empiric isolation precautions and empiric treatment for all individuals coming from the transferring facility until further resolution could be confirmed. Multi-facility meetings between the receiving and transferring facility necessitated action by the transferring facility. The action plan included daily skin assessments for all close contacts of the known infected individual, skin assessments on all individuals living in the same unit of the facility, all linens removed to be cleaned, prophylaxis offered to all staff or individuals who may have contacted the infected individual, and empiric treatment to close contacts under care.

This information is needed because comprehensive strategies for mitigation of crusted scabies transmission are not readily available. The topic is important because crusted scabies can be hard to differentiate and is easily transmissible with brief contact. Communication efforts that best relayed proper precautions for frontline staff will be discussed. The presentation will outline strategies for effective collaboration amongst outside organizations and is intended for hospital based infection preventionists that admit individuals from congregated living facilities.
Learning Objectives:
Describe the steps to take when dealing with a transferring outside facility where an outbreak of crusted scabies may be occurring.
Identify appropriate stakeholders to include in exposure response planning discussions.
Explain strategies for ongoing collaboration and mitigation to limit additional exposure.