Scabies: What is it??

What is Scabies?
      Scabies is a mite that burrows in the layers of skin of a human, (or animal), and lays its eggs, causing rashes and/or itchy spots.

It is transmitted through close physical contact, whether having contact with the objects used, (ie, bedding, or clothing, etc) or sexual activity with the infected individual. Scabies is long term and infects the skin, (until treated), and can take 4-6 weeks from exposure, just for the skin irratation to appear. 300 million people get Scabies every year.

Names and Classification

Names    

The common name of scabies, (besides the name, Scabies) is itch mite, or the seven year itch (crusted scabies is also known as Norwegian scabies).

The scientific name is: Sarcoptes scabiei (var hominis)

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:  Arthropoda
Class:     Arachnida
Order:    Acarina
Family:  Sarcoptidae
Genus:    Streptomyces
Species: scabies or scabiei 

Signs, Symptoms and Diagnosis

Signs and Symptoms

Signs of scabies are somewhat obvious, (ie, rashes, red spots, bumps on skin, and tiny blisters).
The "hot spots" of these signs are located:

 On Adults:

• Between fingers,
• In armpits
• Around your waist
• Along the insides of wrists
• On your inner elbow
• On the soles of your feet
• Around the breasts and male genital area
• On buttocks
• On knees
• On shoulder blades

On Children:

• Entire body
• Palms
• Soles of feet
• Head
• Scalp

                    The major symptom of scabies is intense and excruciating itchiness. This itchiness occurs especially at night.

Diagnosis

Scabies can be diagnosed by a doctor confirming the diagnosis by looking for signs of mites on a sample of your skin. The doctor gently scrapes some dry skin from an affected area and then looks at it under a microscope.

Treatment and Prevention

Treatment for scabies are in the form of creams such as:

• Permethrin 5% dermal cream
• Malathion 0.5%
• Aqueous liquid
• Lindane
• Crotamiton (Eurax).

Other forms of treatment could be soaps, (with a 6% concentration) or oral meds, (pills), such as ivermectin. You can have scabies as long as you go without treatment.

Prevention for scabies is extremely difficult. If a person has scabies, they shouldn't have any close skin-to-skin contact with people until they are treated and cured. If a member of a household, (or someone in a dorm, etc) has scabies, then everyone living in that household, (including sexual partners or other close contacts), should probably be tested for it as well.

  

Outbreak

Outbreaks usually occur in nurseries, residential homes, and nursing facilities. There have been outbreaks, (ie, Johnstown, Ohio school district), and none were killed but the most noteworthy outbreak was in 2010 at the Boston Logan International Airport when 8 workers were suspected to be infected, however only 2 were truly infected. The workers were mildly infected and got treatment, as for the airport, here is what they said on the outbreak:

"Health experts have continued to tell TSA that transmission to passengers is highly improbable given that prolonged skin to skin contact is required. Keep in mind, TSOs are required to wear gloves during the screening process while handling passengers’ belongings.

TSA worked with Massport to ensure the checkpoints, break rooms and other offices where these employees are assigned were professionally cleaned, including the floors and carpets."

- The TSA Blog

Anatomical Structure of Scabies