Abstract: Background: March 13, 2022, many elderly persons in a nursing home in Jinan were reported to have scabies infected symptoms, our hospital immediately set up a team to emergency response. Objective: To confirm the scabies outbreak, analyze the source and route of transmission, treat the diagnosed patients and control the scabies outbreak. Methods: Face to face interview, physical examination, dermoscopy and microscopy were conducted for all elderly persons and caregivers in a residential area of the nursing home with itching symptoms. Explore the number of scabies infected persons and epidemic characteristics. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 16.0. Results: Forty six elderly people and 9 nursing workers in the residential area were all infected with scabies. Among the 46 elderly patients, 29 were males and 17 were females, with an average age of 76.57±13.01 years. 30 (65.22%) were confirmed cases of scabies, and 16 (34.78%) were clinically diagnosed cases of scabies. Among the 9 nursing workers, 2 were males and 7 were females, with an average age of 53.78±5.29 years. 2 (22.22%) were confirmed cases of scabies, and 7 (77.88%) were clinically diagnosed cases of scabies. Most lesions occurred on the torso (52.73%) and hands (47.27%). The source of infection was an elderly female patient with scabies who was admitted to the nursing home on March 1, 2021. Sharing washing machines to wash bedding and clothing was the main route of scabies transmission. All patients were cured after treatment with 10% sulfur ointment. Conclusion: The main cause of the outbreak of scabies was the lack of screening for the newly elderly persons who admitted in nursing home. We suggest that the civil affairs department formulate policies to require nursing homes to routinely screen all elderly people for scabies. We suggest the health department formulate policies to require hospitals to surveillance scabies and control outbreak timely.

Key words: nursing home, scabies, epidemiological investigation