Overcrowded dormitories and shared living arrangements in residential educational institutions, particularly schools and madrasas, are contributing to the spread of scabies among students in Bangladesh.
Research conducted in Bangladesh shows that children and adolescents living in residential educational institutions face a significantly higher risk of infection because of close physical contact, shared bedding, and limited awareness of early treatment.
For 15-year-old Abedin Hossain, the problem became apparent after he returned home from his residential madrasa during the Eid holidays.
What initially appeared to be a heat rash developed into severe itching that disrupted his sleep. Red rashes appeared between his fingers and around his wrists, waist, and feet, prompting his family to seek medical care.
A dermatologist diagnosed him with scabies, a contagious skin disease caused by the microscopic mite Sarcoptes scabiei. The disease spreads through prolonged skin-to-skin contact and by sharing items such as clothing, towels, and bedding.
Abedin said: “I don’t want to stay at the madrasa anymore, but my parents want me to continue studying there.
“I am afraid of getting infected again. Many students share towels, clothes, and bedding, and most ignore the itching without seeking treatment.”
Health experts say Abedin’s experience reflects a broader challenge in residential institutions, where untreated infections can spread rapidly among students living in close quarters.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 200 million people worldwide are affected by scabies at any given time.
The disease is particularly common among children living in overcrowded communities and in close-contact settings such as boarding schools, residential institutions, refugee camps, and nursing homes. WHO recognized scabies as a Neglected Tropical Disease in 2017 because of its widespread public health impact.
Although scabies is treatable, doctors warn that delaying treatment can have broader consequences.
Persistent itching can disrupt sleep, reduce concentration, and affect students' academic performance. Continuous scratching may also lead to bacterial skin infections, including impetigo and cellulitis, and can result in more serious complications.
A 2026 study published in BMJ Paediatrics Open, involving 394 students from schools and madrasas in Kushtia district, found that 40.35% had scabies.
The prevalence was higher among madrasa students, at 51.3%, compared with 31.65% among general school students.
Researchers identified overcrowding, sharing clothes and personal belongings, irregular bathing, prolonged contact with infected students, and poor hygiene awareness as major risk factors.
The findings were consistent with a 2024 study conducted in eight residential madrasas across Bangladesh, which found that nearly 34% of students were infected. The study also identified overcrowded dormitories and shared bedding as major contributors to disease transmission.
Professor Dr Nazmul Haque Sarkar, a dermatologist, said many families fail to recognize scabies at an early stage because its symptoms are often mistaken for allergies.
He said: “Many parents initially consider scabies as ordinary itching and delay medical treatment. As a result, the disease spreads among family members and students living in the same residential institution.”
He said treatment should include close contacts, particularly in dormitory settings.
He added: “Even if one student completes treatment, the infection may return if others sharing the same room remain untreated. Effective control requires treating the residential environment, not just an individual patient.”
Teachers at residential madrasas say maintaining hygiene among large groups of students remains a challenge.
Maulana Abdul Karim, a teacher at Baitus Salah Hafezia Madrasa, said the institution regularly encourages students to maintain cleanliness but acknowledged that sharing personal belongings remains common.
He said: “In residential settings, students sometimes share towels, bedding, and other belongings, which increases the risk of spreading scabies. Regular health check-ups, awareness programs, and cooperation from parents can help prevent such infections.”
Public health experts say awareness campaigns alone are insufficient without systematic health monitoring.
Dr Nigar Ferdousi, medical officer at the Institute of Public Health, said scabies should be treated as a public health concern in residential educational institutions rather than only an individual skin condition.
She said: “Many new residential facilities have been established across the country. However, regular health monitoring is still lacking in many places. Infectious diseases may spread unnoticed, making early detection difficult.”
She recommended screening roommates and other close contacts whenever a student is diagnosed with scabies.
She added: “Reducing overcrowding, ensuring proper bathing and laundry facilities, discouraging the sharing of personal belongings, and introducing regular health screening are essential.”
Health experts say preventing scabies outbreaks in residential institutions requires timely treatment, improved hygiene, cleaner living conditions, and stronger coordination among health authorities, madrasa administrations, teachers, and parents.