Scabies

Alternative Names

Scabies

What is Scabies

Scabies is a condition of very itchy skin caused by tiny mites that burrow into your skin. Scabies affects people of all ages and from all incomes and social levels. Even people who keep themselves very clean can get scabies.

Signs and symptoms

Scabies causes severe itching that is usually worse at night and a rash with tiny blisters or sores. Small children and older adults tend to have the worst itching. Children typically have worse skin reactions.

If this is the first time you have had scabies, it may be several weeks before you have itching and skin sores. But if you have had it before, symptoms will probably start in a few days.

Possible complications

Scabies causes vigorous scratching that can break your skin and allow a secondary bacterial infection such as impetigo to occur. Impetigo is a superficial infection of the skin that is caused most often by staph (staphylococci) bacteria or occasionally by strep (streptococci) bacteria.

A more severe form of scabies, called crusted scabies, may affect certain high-risk groups, including:

• People with chronic health conditions that weaken the immune system, such as HIV or chronic leukemia
• People who are very ill, such as people in hospitals or nursing facilities
• Older people in nursing homes

Crusted scabies are crusty and scaly, and covers large areas of the body. It is very contagious and sometimes hard to treat.

What causes

Scabies is caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Scabies mites are attracted to the warmth and smell of people. Female mites burrow into the skin, creating small, threadlike tunnels that you can sometimes see. The mites lay eggs and leave feces in these tunnels.

The ways how scabies is spread:

• Scabies usually is spread by close, intimate contact, such as sleeping in the same bed with or touching someone who has scabies. The scabies mite cannot fly or jump and it moves very slowly.
• Scabies mites only live for several days away from human skin. During this time, the mites may spread to other people. Mites usually spread through skin-to-skin contact. But they can also spread from contact with clothing, bed linens and other household and personal items.
• A mite burrows very quickly under the skin, especially in areas where it is rough or wrinkled, such as the elbows, knuckles and knees. Touching or scratching an area that is infested with mites can spread them to other parts of the body.
• After burrowing under the skin, a female mite lays eggs before she dies. The eggs hatch into larvae several days later. These larvae move to the skin's surface and become adults within about 2 weeks. This cycle continues until the mites are killed.
• The scabies mite that infests humans does not live on dogs or other pets. And animal-transmitted scabies mites do not survive or reproduce on humans. But they can live long enough on humans to cause itchy hives or raised bumps that last a few days.

Prevention

You can protect yourself from getting scabies by not contacting closely with someone who has scabies or with their personal items (such as clothes, towels and brushes). People who have scabies are encouraged to use care to prevent spreading the mites to others.

Treatment

Scabies will not disappear on its own. You have to use a special cream or lotion prescribed by your doctor. In severe cases, your doctor may prescribe you pills to take.

Some scabies medicines are not safe for children, older adults and pregnant or breastfeeding women. It is very important to follow your doctor’s instructions carefully in order to avoid dangerous side effects.

If you have scabies, you and anyone you have close contact with must all be treated at the same time. This keeps the mites from being passed back and forth from person to person. You should also carefully wash all clothes, towels and bedding.

After treatment, the itching usually lasts another 2-4 weeks. It will take your body that long to get over the allergic reaction caused by the mites. If you still have symptoms after 4 weeks, you may need another treatment.