Scabies a contagious and itchy skin condition

Scabies is an itchy skin condition caused by a tiny burrowing mite known as Sarcoptes scabiei. The appearance of the mite leads to intense itching in the area of its burrows. The impel to scratch may be especially strong at night. It is contagious and can spread quickly through close physical contact in a family, school, class, child care group, or nursing home. Because of the contagious nature of it, doctors often recommend treatment for entire families or contact groups to eliminate the mite.

Symptoms:

• Itching, often severe and usually worse at night

• Thin, irregular burrow tracks made up of tiny blisters or bumps on your ski

The burrows or tracks typically appear in folds of your skin. Almost any part of your body may be involved, but it is most often found in:

• Between fingers

• In armpits

• Around your waist

• Along the insides of wrists

• On your inner elbow

• On the soles of your feet

• Around breasts

• Around the male genital area

• On buttocks

• On knees

• On shoulder blades

In children, common sites of infestation include the:

• Scalp

• Face

• Neck

• Palms of the hands

• Soles of the feet

Causes:

The eight-legged mite that causes scabies in humans is microscopic. The female mite burrows just below your skin and produces a tunnel in which the eggs are deposited. The eggs hatch within three to four days, and the mite larvae continue their way to the surface of the skin, where they mellow and can spread to other areas of your skin or to the skin of other people. The itching of it results from your body's allergic reaction to the mites, their eggs and waste.

Treatment:

Scabies treatment involves eliminating the infestation with medications. Several lotions and creams are available. You normally apply the medication all over your body, and leave the medication on for at least eight hours. If new burrows and rash appear a second treatment is needed.

Medication:

• Permethrin 5 percent (Elimite).

• Lindane.

• Crotamiton (Eurax)

Doctors sometimes direct the oral medication ivermectin (Stromectol) for people with altered immune systems, for people who have crusted it, or for people who don't respond to the prescription lotions and creams.

Prevention:

To prevent re-infestation and to prevent the mites from spreading to other people, take the following steps:

• Clean all clothes and linen. Use hot, soapy water to wash all clothing, bedding and towels you used at least three days before treatment. Dry with high heat. Dry-clean items which are not washable at home.

• Starve the mites. Consider placing items you can't wash in a sealed plastic bag and leaving it in an out-of-the-way place, for a couple of weeks. If mites do not eat for a week they die.