The national burden of scabies in Germany: a population-based approach using Internet search engine data

PURPOSE: Scabies is a World Health Organization-defined neglected tropical disease and a growing public health issue worldwide. It is difficult to obtain reliable data on prevalence due to the lack of standardized tests. The aim of this study was to assess scabies online search behavior in Germany to identify local differences using Google search volume. METHODS: Google Ads Keyword Planner was used to investigate the scabies-related search volume for Germany as a whole, its 16 federal states, and 15 large cities for the period from January 2016 to December 2019. The identified search terms were qualitatively categorized and critically analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 572 keywords with an overall search volume of 11,414,180 searches regarding scabies were identified in Germany. The number of searches was higher in winter than in summer, with a national peak in March 2018. Around 30.6% of the searches regarding scabies therapy (n = 978,420) were related to home remedies. Regarding body localization, most searches focused on the whole body (n = 109,050), followed by head (n = 89,360) and the genital area (n = 28,640). CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of Google search data provides an overview of the populations’ interest regarding scabies. The analysis can detect local peaks and assess the relevance of scabies at individual localizations of the body. The study highlighted current possible shortcomings in the therapy of scabies. It also underlined the importance of improving awareness regarding scabies so that affected individuals can consult a doctor earlier for treatment. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s15010-022-01763-5.