What is scabies?
Scabies is a fairly common disease of the skin caused by an infestation of a microscopic mite. Scabies mites burrow into the top layer of the skin, producing pimple-like irritations or linear burrows and intense itching. Occasionally, secondary bacterial infections may occur.
Who gets scabies?
Scabies can affect people from all socioeconomic levels without regard to age, sex, race, or standards of personal hygiene. Clusters of cases or outbreaks are occasionally seen in health care facilities, institutions, and child care centers.
How is scabies spread?
Scabies is spread by direct skin-to-skin contact. Indirect transfer through clothing or bedding can occur only if infested people have contaminated these items before you have handled them. Scabies can also be spread during sexual contact. Scabies from other animals cannot be spread to humans.
How is scabies diagnosed?
It is diagnosed by taking a skin scraping and examining under a microscope.
What are the symptoms of scabies?
The most common symptom is intense itching, particularly at night. The areas most often affected by scabies include the webs and sides of the fingers; around the wrists, elbows and armpits; waist; thighs; genitalia; nipples and breasts; and lower buttocks. In severe cases, the skin becomes dry and scaly.
How soon do symptoms occur?
After exposure, symptoms will usually appear in two to six weeks in people who have not previously been exposed to scabies. People, who have had scabies before, may show symptoms within one to four days after re-exposure.
When and for how long can a person spread scabies?
A person is able to spread scabies until mites and eggs are killed by treatment. Individuals with scabies should not attend school, childcare or work until the day after treatment is started. The mites are present and can spread to another individual long before the infected person shows symptoms.
What is the treatment for scabies?
Skin lotions containing lindane, permethrin, pyrethrin or crotamiton are available, but require a doctor’s prescription. The lotion is applied to the whole body except the head and neck and is left on for 8-12 hours, after which it is thoroughly washed off. Clothing and bedding should be laundered in hot water or dry-cleaned concurrently with treatment of the individual. Clothing and/or bedding might also be sealed in plastic bags for 7-10 days, during which time scabies mites and eggs will die. Treatment may need to be repeated in 7-10 days. Sometimes itching may continue for one to two weeks after treatment. This should not be regarded as treatment failure or re-infestation. Avoid over treatment.
It is not necessary to spray, fumigate or otherwise chemically treat the home, school or childcare center for scabies.
What can be done to prevent the spread of scabies?
Avoid physical contact with infested individuals and their belongings, specifically clothing and bedding. Health education about scabies, the need for early diagnosis and proper treatment of the person and their contacts, are extremely important.
Wear rubber, latex or plastic gloves when physically contacting infested people and their clothing and bedding. Wash exposed skin, especially hands and arms, immediately after physically contacting infested people and their clothing and bedding.
