Scabies is a common, yet neglected, skin disease. Scabies occurs across Australia, but most frequently in socioeconomically disadvantaged populations in tropical regions, including in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Institutions such as nursing homes, extended-care facilities, and prisons are often sites of scabies outbreaks. Child-care facilities also are a common site of scabies infestations.
The main symptoms of scabies are: intense itching of the skin, typically worse at night and after a hot bath or shower. visible burrows on the skin between the fingers and in skin creases such as armpits and genitals. a bumpy or pimple-like rash, which is often difficult to see.
Scabies is not usually a serious condition, but it does need to be treated. A pharmacist will recommend a cream or lotion that you apply over your whole body. It's important to read the instructions carefully. Let the pharmacist know if you are breastfeeding or pregnant.
Scabies is highly contagious and is spread by close contact. If untreated, it can last indefinitely. Scabies is not caused by poor hygiene.
Some immunocompromised, elderly, disabled, or debilitated persons are at risk for a severe form of scabies called crusted, or Norwegian, scabies. Persons with crusted scabies have thick crusts of skin that contain large numbers of scabies mites and eggs.
Scabies is usually spread through prolonged periods of skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, or through sexual contact. It's also possible – but rare – for scabies to be passed on by sharing clothing, towels and bedding with someone who's infected.
Scabies does not usually spread through a brief touch with someone that has scabies, such as a handshake or hug. Scabies usually spreads to sexual partners and household members. Scabies can also spread through contact with the clothes, bedding, or towels of someone who has scabies.
It may take 2 to 6 weeks to develop symptoms of scabies after contact with an infected person. If you have had scabies before, the rash can appear in 1 to 4 days. Everyone living in your house and all sexual partners should be treated at the same time.
Scabies typically starts with itching and a pimple-like rash, often in areas around your wrists, finger webs, elbows, armpits, waist, knees, ankles, or groin.
You might also see tiny red or black specks of blood or excrement on your bedding or smell a sweet, musty odor. You can tell you have scabies because you develop a rash that tends to itch only at night.
What causes scabies? Scabies is caused by a tiny mite called 'Sarcoptes scabiei'. The mites burrow under the skin to lay eggs. The newly hatched mites are spread over the body by scratching.
Unfortunately, in practice, scabies is largely diagnosed based only on the clinical picture, which may lead to a misdiagnosis. A broad differential diagnosis of scabies can include atopic dermatitis (AD), allergic contact dermatitis, nummular eczema, arthropod bites, dermatitis herpetiformis, etc. (1, 7).
Permethrin kills the scabies mite and eggs. Permethrin is the drug of choice for the treatment of scabies. Two (or more) applications, each about a week apart, may be necessary to eliminate all mites. Children aged 2 months or older can be treated with permethrin.
Anyone can get scabies. It's not a disease caused by poor hygiene. Some people are more likely to get scabies, including: People who live in close, crowded conditions.
Key points about scabies
Scabies mites are very contagious. They often spread from person to person while they are sleeping in the same bed, or during other close contact. Scabies should be treated quickly to keep the mites from spreading.
The mites pass from person to person when people are in prolonged skin-to-skin contact with each other. The hand is the most common site to be first affected. Sleeping in the same bed, and sexual contact are other common ways of passing on the mite. The risk of scabies spreading in schools is very low.
The eggs hatch and become adult mites within 10 days. Symptoms, primarily itching, appear approximately four weeks from the time of contact as a result of sensitization to the presence of immature mites. How long are you infectious? A person with scabies is considered infectious as long as they have not been treated.
Scabies usually is passed by direct, prolonged skin-to-skin contact with an infested person. However, a person with crusted (Norwegian) scabies can spread the infestation by brief skin-to-skin contact or by exposure to bedding, clothing, or even furniture that he/she has used.
The day you start treatment, wash your clothes, bedding, towels, and washcloths. Mites can survive for a few days without human skin. If a mite survives, you can get scabies again. To prevent this, you must wash clothes, sheets, comforters, blankets, towels, and other items.
Wash all clothes, bedding, and towels that you used in the 4 to 5 days before you started treatment. Use hot water, and use the hot cycle in the dryer. Another option is to dry-clean these items. Or seal them in a plastic bag for 3 days.
You can get scabies from direct skin-to-skin contact from an infected person. Scabies is caused by mites infesting the skin – it is highly contagious. Treatment involves non-prescribed creams or lotions. Your sexual partners will also need treatment.