Case Study

An 8-year-old boy from Indonesia who had recently returned from a semester at a rural boarding primary school complained to his mother about full body itchiness since two weeks ago.

According to him, this itchiness started in his fingers first, then spread to different areas of his wrist, armpits and buttocks within one week. He also complained of itchiness in his lower extremities, mainly in his knees and the gaps between his toes. This was the first time the boy had experienced such itches, and he had never consulted a doctor before, assuming it would disappear by itself. Furthermore, she said that the itchiness worsens at night and his sleep was ruined by intense pruritis for the past two weeks. In these two weeks, the complaint did not reduce or subside. It intensified until his daily routine was affected. There was no history of fever.

His mother applied a traditional cream to the affected area; however, the symptoms did not show any improvement. When the school opened, some of his school mates were experiencing the same complaint. The children were taken to their pediatrician for evaluation. A parasitology laboratory test was ordered to provide a diagnosis.

What is your diagnosis?