What looks like scabies: The request could not be satisfied

05.06.197428.09.2021 by alexxlab

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How to Know if That Rash Is Scabies

Scabies spreads through contact, not because of a lack of personal hygiene. But doctors say it can be difficult to inform people they have mites because of the stigma associated with them.

“I think a common misconception is that only people who are filthy or dirty get scabies,” says Robin P. Gehris, MD, the chief of pediatric dermatology at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, part of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “Even royalty, with the right exposure, can get scabies.”

“It doesn’t present [show up] with symptoms immediately,” says Dr. Gehris. “Unless you’ve had it before, it takes about a month between when the mites set up shop and when it shows up in your skin.”

What It Feels Like to Have Scabies: Signs and Symptoms

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. Sex is a common route of infection.

One of scabies’ more distinctive effects happens when it worsens.

“It keeps people up at night — they don’t sleep well, and mentally they get very anxious,” says Adam Goldstein, MD, MPH, a professor of family medicine at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine in Chapel Hill.

If you think you may have scabies, a trip to your primary care doctor or dermatologist will often resolve the mystery. Under a microscope, a slide with a sample from the irritated area will typically show the mites.

Solve the Problem: Scabies Treatment That Works

“Primary care doctors can absolutely treat it, but sometimes it doesn’t present as straightforward, so you might end up seeing a specialist,” says Beth Goldstein, MD, a dermatologist in private practice in Chapel Hill and an adjunct at UNC. Dr. Beth Goldstein and Adam Goldstein, MD, MPH, have coauthored guides for physicians on recognizing and treating scabies.

“I have had people with absolutely no rash who are just itchy,” says Amy Kassouf, MD, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “It’s really an allergic reaction to the mite that makes you so itchy. Not everyone shows that as a rash.”

While the itching may be unpleasant, treating it is usually fairly straightforward, as long as you follow the recommended steps. When you go to your doctor for treatment, they may recommend an antihistamine and permethrin, which is applied to the skin to kill the mites. Usually, you apply it at bedtime.

“People can itch even if treated, but they will feel progressively better,” says Beth Goldstein.

Two applications of permethrin are recommended. Five to seven days after the first treatment, you’ll need a second treatment with permethrin to kill off mites that have hatched in the interim. This second step is important to prevent having to start the treatment cycle again.

RELATED: What Bit Me?

Getting the Entire Household Scabies Free

In families or households where one person has scabies, you’ll need to be proactive about treating everyone for scabies — even if they don’t have symptoms. That goes for babysitters or frequent visitors like grandparents, too.

“When one family member in a household gets diagnosed, in order to effectively treat that household, you have to treat everyone who lives there — not just the people who have rashes or are itchy,” says Gehris.

“If you don’t successfully treat it, it’s going to continue,” says Dr. Adam Goldstein.

That’s especially important for families to keep in mind. In addition to treating the person with scabies, the bedding, clothes, and towels need to be washed in hot water and dried on a hot setting, or dry-cleaned to rid them of the parasites.

Items that cannot be washed should be sealed in a plastic bag for 72 hours or more to kill the mites. This effectively decontaminates things like toys and other objects handled by the infected person or household members, in order to keep the mites from continuing to spread, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Additional reporting by Deborah Shapiro.

What Else Looks Like Scabies?

Patient Presentation
An 11 month-old male came to clinic with a 1 week history of an itchy red rash. The rash appeared under the child’s arms. It spread to the trunk, neck, arms, hands, legs and feet. He seems to be more bothered at night. The family has tried Calamine lotion, Benadryl®, and hydrocortisone with some relief.
He has been otherwise well and has no recent sick contacts. His social history reveals that he lives at home, does not attend daycare, but does go to weekly playgroups. He has been playing outside on a blanket or in the grass.
The past medical history shows a healthy infant with one ear infection in the past.
His review of systems reveals no fever, upper respiratory infection symptoms, new soaps/lotions/detergents, or applied lawn chemicals.
The pertinent physical exam shows a well appearing infant with normal growth and development. His skin examination shows 1-2 mm red papules with excoriation especially in his axilla, neck, face, arms and hands. His trunk and legs are also less involved. Additionally there are also whitish threadlike lines seen especially around his fingers. In the axilla, there are 2-3 mm red lesions that are slightly nodular. None of the skin is wheapy or cellulitic in appearance.
With the clinical history of pruritis, and evidence of burrows, a diagnosis of scabies was made. The patient was treated with permethrin and parents were instructed on environmental control measures. They were also told that the itching of the scabies may last days to weeks after treatment. The parents felt that the Benadryl did help the itching and would continue to use it for symptomatic relief.

Discussion
Scabies results from a mite infection (Sarcoptis scabiei). The female burrows into the skin of the host and tunnels ~2 mm each day laying 2-3 eggs at a time. Fecal pellets are also left behind. Larvae hatch after 3-4 days, reach maturity in 14-17 days, mate, burrow and continue the cycle. Death occurs in 25-30 days.The mite can live 2-3 days outside the human body.

Transmission usually occurs by direct contact or by sharing contaminated linens or clothing. Sexual activity can cause transmission. Scabies often occurs within families. Spread can occur with fomites, but this is less likely. Transmission is unrelated to personal hygiene and infestation occurs in all races and social classes worldwide. Children under 15 years have the highest prevelance.

Patients usually come to attention because of pruritus that is often severe and worse at night. Lesions are small, erythematous papules with obvious excoriation. Burrows are grey/white, threadlike, serpiginous and vary in length. The burrows are often disrupted because of scratching. Papules, wheals, and vesicles can also be seem. Nodules are often seen in covered parts of the body such as the axilla, groin, and genitalia and are a granulomatous response to dead mite antigens and feces. The nodules can persist for weeks to months after effective treatment.
Lesions are commonly found on the sides and webbing of the fingers and toes, flexor surfaces of wrists, extensor surfaces of elbows and kness, axilla, periumbilical areas, waist, and genitalia and buttocks. The scalp and back are generally spared. Children however, are more prone to developing diffuse infections often involving the face and scalp. Secondary infection is common.
Scraping from a non-excoriated papula or burrow may allow visualization of a mite, eggs, or feces under a microscope.

Treatment is usually 100% effective if all environmental control measures are applied along with medication use. All family members and close contact should have treatment at the same time to prevent repeated infections. Topical medication should be massaged thoroughly into the skin over the entire body and generally removed by washing after several hours. A single application should be effective, but often 2 treatments 1 week apart are being recommended.

Lindane (Kwell®) is another topical agent. It is more neurotoxic and therefore should be left on the skin of babies under 1 year of age for shorter time periods. Pregnant women should not use lindane, nor should persons with seizure disorders

Crotamiton (Eurax®) is a topical agent that is associatd with frequent treatment failures.

Ivermectin (Stromectol®) is an oral medication given as a single dose followed by a second dose ~1-2 week later. Cure rate is 70% after the first dose and 95% after the second dose. Scabies treatment is an off-label use of this medication.

Antihistamines are used to treat the pruritis. Treatment of secondary infections with appropriate antibiotics is also important.

Environmental control measures include washing all clothing, bedding and linens in the household in hot water and heating in a drying. Other effective methods include dry cleaning or removing the item from body contact for at least 72 hours. Items that have already been cleaned do not require additional measures.

Figure 8 – Picture of Scabies Mite(Sarcoptis scabiei)from the CDC Laboratory Identification of Parasites of Public Health Concern

Figure 9 – Hand with rash caused by scabies from the CDC Laboratory Identification of Parasites of Public Health Concern

Learning Point

Undiagnosed scabies can last for years – hence the term “seven year itch.” Suspect scabies when multiple family members are involved, there is a crescendo in intensity of the problem over 2-3 weeks, or if the pruritis intensifies at night.
The differential diagnosis may include:

Atopic dermatitis / Eczema
Contact dermatitis
Drug reaction
Impetigo
Pitaryiasis Rosea
Seborrheic dermatitis
Pediculosis
Urticaria/ Papular urticaria

Questions for Further Discussion
1. How potentially effective are other possible treatments such as sulfur petrolatum?

Related Cases

To Learn More
To view pediatric review articles on this topic from the past year check PubMed.

Information prescriptions for patients can be found at Pediatric Common Questions, Quick Answers for this topic: Scabies.

American Academy of Pediatrics. Scabies, In Pickering LD, ed. Red Book: 2003 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 26th edit. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2003;547-549.

Gunn VL, Nechyba C. The Harriet Lane Handbook. 16th. Edit. Mosby Publications: St. Louis. 2002:726,735-6,801-2.

Sciammarella,J. Scabies. eMedicine. Available from the Internet at: http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic517.htm (rev. 12/17/04, cited 1/13/05).

Author
Donna M. D’Alessandro, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Iowa

Date
February 7, 2005

Scabies – NHS

Scabies is common and anyone can get it. It should be treated quickly to stop it spreading.

Check if it’s scabies

The symptoms of scabies are:

intense itching, especially at night
a raised rash or spots

The spots may look red. They are more difficult to see on dark skin, but you should be able to feel them.

Tiny mites lay eggs in the skin, leaving lines with a dot at one end.

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The rash can appear anywhere, but it often starts between the fingers.

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The rash may then spread and turn into tiny spots. This may look red on lighter skin.

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The rash may leave dark spots on the skin. This may look brown or black on darker skin.

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The scabies rash usually spreads across the whole body, apart from the head.

However, older people, young children and those with a weakened immune system may develop a rash on their head and neck.

When it’s not scabies

Many other things can cause itchy skin and rashes in babies and children.

A pharmacist can help with scabies

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.

You’ll need to repeat the treatment 1 week later.

Scabies is very infectious, but it can take up to 8 weeks for the rash to appear.

Everyone in your home needs to be treated at the same time, even if they do not have symptoms.

Anyone you have had sexual contact with in the past 8 weeks should also be treated.

Things you can do during treatment to stop scabies spreading

Do

wash all bedding and clothing in the house at 50C or higher on the first day of treatment
put clothing that cannot be washed in a sealed bag for 3 days until the mites die
stop babies and children sucking treatment from their hands by putting socks or mittens on them

Don’t

do not have sex or close physical contact until you have completed the full course of treatment
do not share bedding, clothing or towels with someone with scabies

How long it takes to get rid of scabies

You or your child can go back to work or school 24 hours after the first treatment.

Although the treatment kills the scabies mites quickly, the itching can carry on for a few weeks.

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

your skin is still itching 4 weeks after treatment has finished

Information:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP

It’s still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:

visit their website
use the NHS App
call them

Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19

Scabies can spread easily

Scabies are passed from person to person by skin-to-skin contact. You cannot get scabies from pets.

People who live or work closely together in nurseries, university halls of residence or nursing homes are more at risk.

Scabies and hygiene

Anyone can get scabies. It has nothing to do with poor hygiene.

Complications of scabies

Scratching the rash can cause skin infections like impetigo.

Scabies can make conditions like eczema or psoriasis worse.

Page last reviewed: 17 November 2020
Next review due: 17 November 2023

Scabies: Symptoms, Treatments

Overview

What is scabies?

Scabies is a skin condition caused by mites (little bugs) that burrow under the skin and produce small red bumps and severe itching. The mites easily spread from person to person, especially among people who share close living spaces. If one family member has scabies, other family members and close contacts must be checked and treated at the same time.

The mites live in the folds and narrow cracks of the skin. Common mite sites include:

Folds in between the fingers and toes.
Bends at the wrists.
Area around the belt line.
Bends at the knees.
Under fingernails.
Folds in thighs.
Under rings, watch bands, and bracelets.
Folds in genitals.
Area around the nipples (in women).

Who gets scabies?

Anyone can get scabies. Poor hygiene does not lead to scabies. People who are more likely to get scabies include:

People who live in close, crowded conditions.
Infants and children. (Children have a lot of close, physical contact with others, including their mothers, parents, friends, family members, and classmates.)
The elderly, especially those living in nursing homes.
Healthcare workers who care for people not aware they have scabies.

Symptoms and Causes

What are the symptoms of scabies?

The symptoms of scabies include:

Intense itching.
Skin rash of tiny red bumps that look like bites or pimples. (These spread slowly over a period of weeks or months.)
An intense itch that leads to loss of sleep.
Bumps that sometimes become infected as a result of scratching.

Children with scabies may have itching all over their bodies and may be cranky or tired from lack of sleep due to itching at night.

A person can be infected with scabies for four to six weeks before having symptoms. It’s important that you get rechecked up to six weeks after you think you may have been exposed or any time symptoms occur, even if you were already screened for scabies.

Diagnosis and Tests

How can I know if I or my child has scabies?

Visit your healthcare provider. Most cases of scabies can be confirmed just by looking closely at the skin. Your healthcare provider may also apply mineral oil to the rash and use a scalpel to get a small sample of skin. The sample is placed under a microscope and examined for mites and mite eggs.

Can I see the mite?

The mite is very small, about the size of a needle point, and very difficult to see. It is white to creamy white in color. When magnified, its eight legs and round body are visible.

Management and Treatment

How is scabies treated?

Scabies is treated with a cream that contains a medicine called permethrin. This cream must be ordered by your healthcare provider.

The cream is applied to the whole body below the head, including the hands, palms, and soles of the feet. In children with scabies, the cream may need to be applied to the scalp. Be sure that the skin is clean, cool and dry before applying the cream.

Permethrin cream is left on the skin for eight to 14 hours and then washed off. (The cream is most often applied at night and washed off in the morning.)

Ivermectin is another option for treating scabies. This is an antiparasitic pill given in a single dose, followed by a second dose one to two weeks later. Ivermectin shouldn’t be used by pregnant or lactating women or children who weigh less than 35 pounds (15 kg).

Antihistamines, medicine taken by the mouth and in creams, may also be ordered to relieve itching. Any infections that are present will also be treated.

How soon are the mites killed?

The mites are killed after one treatment. The treatment does not need to be repeated unless the infection does not go away or comes back.

How soon does the itching stop?

The itching may take two to four weeks to go away, even though the mites have been killed.

How soon does the rash go away?

Red bumps on the skin should go away within four weeks after treatment.

Prevention

How can I prevent spreading scabies?

You can prevent spreading scabies by:

Washing bed linens, towels, and clothing in hot water and machine dry.
Making sure family members and others in close contact with the infected person get checked for scabies.

Outlook / Prognosis

If my child has scabies, how soon can they return to school?

Your child can return to school the day after treatment.

Can a person get scabies more than once?

Yes. You can get scabies any time that you come into close contact with an infected person.

Scabies | Cedars-Sinai

Not what you’re looking for?

What is scabies?

Scabies is an infestation in the skin of mites. It causes small,
red bumps and severe itching. Scabies is very contagious. It is spread by direct
skin contact. It is easily spread by:

Sexual contact
Other close physical contact
Sharing bed linens and towels
Shared clothing

What causes scabies?

Scabies mites burrow under the skin. They don’t jump or fly. They
lay eggs in the skin. The eggs hatch and grow into adults. They then create new
burrows over the next 1 to 2 weeks. The mites die in about 4 to 6 weeks. The rash
and itching are caused by an allergic reaction to the mites’ saliva or feces.

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.

Who is at risk for scabies?

Scabies can affect people of all ages and social groups. It is
common all over the world. Scabies happens mostly in children and young adults. It’s
also more likely if you live in close quarters with other people, such as in a
college dormitory or nursing home.

You are more at risk if you are in contact for at least 15 to 20
minutes with someone who has scabies. Scabies mites can pass from person to person
through close physical contact. They can also be passed through shared clothing,
towels, and bedding.

What are the symptoms of 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.

Symptoms can occur a bit differently in each person. They can
include:

Itching, usually severe and worse at night
Rash with small pimples or red bumps
Tiny lines on the skin surface, which are the mites’
burrows
Sores on the body caused by scratching
Scaly or crusty skin in severe cases

In adults, the rash appears on the hands, between the fingers,
wrists, belt line, thighs, belly button, in the groin area, around the breasts, and
in the armpits.

The symptoms of scabies can be like other health conditions. Make
sure to see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

How is scabies diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and health
history. He or she will give you a physical exam. The physical exam will include
closely checking your skin. You may also have a skin scraping. The provider scrapes
a small sample of your skin and looks at it with a microscope to check for mites.
You may also need a skin biopsy. This test takes a small sample of skin to look at
with a microscope.

How is scabies treated?

Everyone living in your house and all sexual partners should be
treated at the same time. After the first treatment, you will no longer be
contagious. You may return to work or school.

Scabies infection is most often treated with a prescription cream
or lotion that has 5% permethrin. This kills the mites. When using prescription
lotion or cream:

Follow instructions from your healthcare provider and
pharmacist. Ask about safety steps for using this medicine.
Use the cream or lotion on your body when your skin is cool
and dry. Don’t use it after a hot shower or bath.
Apply the cream or lotion to your entire body from the chin
down. This includes the neck, palms of your hands, soles of your feet, groin,
and under your fingernails.
Don’t use more than prescribed.
Leave the cream or lotion on for the advised amount of time.
This is usually 8 to 14 hours. Don’t leave it on your skin longer than directed.
Wear only clean clothes after the treatment.
Reapply the cream or lotion to your hands after you wash
them.
If you are breastfeeding, wash off your nipples before
feeding. Then reapply the cream or lotion after breastfeeding.
If advised, repeat the application of cream or lotion 1 week
later.

Other treatments include:

Ivermectin. This is an
oral medicine for severe cases. It may also be used if you can’t apply cream or
lotion. This can be used before other treatments, but it usually costs more than
skin cream medicines.
Antihistamine medicine.
Itching may cause the most discomfort. If large areas of your skin are affected,
over-the-counter antihistamines may be used to reduce itching. Or you may be
given a prescription antihistamine.
Antibiotics. This medicine
may be used to treat infected sores from scratching. It is important to finish
taking all of the antibiotics even if the sores look better. This is to make
sure the infection has fully gone away.
Medicines work quickly to kill the mites, but the itchy rash
may last for several weeks after treatment. Marks on the skin from scabies
usually go away in 1 to 2 weeks, but sometimes take a few months to go
away.

Talk with your healthcare providers about the risks, benefits, and
possible side effects of all treatments.

What are possible complications of scabies?

Scratching the rash can cause sores, which may become infected
with bacteria.

Can scabies be prevented?

To prevent reinfection and the spread of scabies to others:

Machine wash in hot water all sheets, towels, pillowcases,
underwear, pajamas, and clothing.
Dry them in the hot cycle of a dryer.
Seal anything that is hard to wash in a plastic bag for 1
week. This includes coats, jackets, blankets, and bedspreads, pillows, and soft
toys.
Vacuum floors and furniture. Throw the vacuum bag away
afterward.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Call the healthcare provider if you have:

New rashes or lines in the skin after treatment
Sores that do not heal
Signs of infection in sores, such as crusts, fluid leaking,
swelling, pain, or red streaks
Fever of 100.4°F (38ºC) or higher, or as directed by your
healthcare provider

Key points about scabies

Scabies is an infestation in the skin of tiny insects called
mites. It causes small, red bumps and severe itching.
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.
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 infection is most often treated with a prescription
cream or lotion that kills the mites. The itchy rash may last for several weeks
after treatment.
To prevent reinfection and the spread of scabies to others,
make sure to wash in hot water all bedding, clothing, pillows, and soft toys.

Next steps

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare
provider:

Know the reason for your visit and what you want to
happen.
Before your visit, write down questions you want
answered.
Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and
remember what your provider tells you.
At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and
any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new instructions
your provider gives you.
Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed, and how
it will help you. Also know what the side effects are.
Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways.
Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the
results could mean.
Know what to expect if you do not take the medicine or have
the test or procedure.
If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date,
time, and purpose for that visit.
Know how you can contact your provider if you have
questions.

Medical Reviewer: Michael Lehrer MD

Medical Reviewer: Marianne Fraser MSN RN

Medical Reviewer: Raymond Kent Turley BSN MSN RN

Not what you’re looking for?

Scabies – treatments, symptoms and prevention

What is scabies?

Scabies is a very itchy skin condition caused by a tiny mite (bug).

Scabies is contagious and spreads quickly. If you have scabies, the whole family may need to be treated.

What are the symptoms of scabies?

Scabies causes intense itching and sometimes a rash. It looks like tiny red lumps and threadlike tracks on the skin. The rash is due to an allergic reaction to the mite.

The scabies mite prefers to burrow and lay its eggs in skin that is soft and protected. So common areas to get scabies are the wrists, between the fingers, folds of the armpit and elbow, the groin and the creases of the bottom.

The itching is usually worse at night or after a hot bath or shower. The itching and rash may not develop for up to one month after you have been infected with the mites.

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use our rashes and skin problems Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

What causes scabies?

Scabies is caused by a small mite called ‘Sarcoptes scabiei’. The mites burrow under the skin to lay eggs. The newly hatched mites are spread over the body by scratching.

Anyone can get scabies regardless of age, gender or standards of personal hygiene.

When should I see my doctor?

See a doctor if you have very itchy skin or you have a rash that doesn’t go away. There are many other skin conditions that can cause itchy skin.

Always see a doctor if you develop very itchy skin when you’re pregnant.

How is scabies diagnosed?

If you think you have scabies, see your doctor. They will diagnose it based on what the rash looks like. They may take a small scraping from your skin to confirm the diagnosis.

How is scabies treated?

Scabies is easily treated with permethrin cream or lotion that you can buy from pharmacies. It’s important to follow the directions on the bottle carefully. Speak to your pharmacist to make sure you buy the correct lotion.

It works best if you apply the lotion after a shower. Use warm water and gently scrub the skin, then pat it dry and apply the lotion.

You may need more than one application. The lotion must be applied to the whole body so you may need assistance to get to hard to reach areas.

The itching might continue for 4 to 6 weeks after treatment. This is often due to an allergic reaction to the mites, or because the treatment has given you contact dermatitis. If the itching doesn’t clear up in a few weeks, see your doctor. It could be that you have been re-infested or the treatment didn’t work properly.

Can scabies be prevented?

How to prevent scabies from spreading

There are steps you can take to prevent spreading scabies to others:

Try not to scratch the skin as this can cause the infestation to spread to other parts of the body and may also cause scarring.
Scabies can live outside the human body for about 1 day, so it’s possible to get scabies from infected bed linen and clothes. Always maintain personal hygiene and keep bed linen and clothes clean.
Don’t share personal items such as towels, bed linen and clothing items until the infestation has cleared.
If you develop scabies it’s important that all members of your household, especially sexual partners, are treated.
It’s best for individuals who are affected to remain home from work, school or day care, until 24 hours after treatment when they are no longer infectious.

Here’s a list of common childhood illnesses, including scabies, and their recommended exclusion periods.

Complications of scabies

Scabies is usually treated effectively with no long-term complications.

Scratching the skin can lead to infections like impetigo or cellulitis. If you damage the skin you may get permanent marks.

American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD)

The parasite Sarcoptes scabiei is a tiny skin mite, almost impossible to see without a microscope. It causes a fiercely itchy skin condition known as scabies. Dermatologists estimate that more than 300 million cases of scabies occur worldwide every year. The disease can strike anyone of any race or age, regardless of personal hygiene. Scabies are not the same as body lice.

The microscopic mite is a tiny, eight-legged creature with a round body. The mite burrows between the skin layers. The body develops a reaction to the mite that results in severe itching; often intense enough to keep sufferers awake at night, and frequently leading to skin infections.

Human scabies is almost always caught from another person, anyone who has come into close contact; it could be from a child, a friend, or another family member. Some people do react more severely than others do, and a rare infected person may hardly itch at all.

Attracted to warmth and odor, the female mite is drawn to a new host, making a burrow, laying eggs and producing secretions that cause an allergic reaction. Larvae hatch from the eggs and travel to the skin surface, lying in shallow pockets where they will develop into adult mites. It may be four to six weeks before a newly infected person will notice the itching or swelling that can indicate the presence of scabies. A re-infection will itch right away.

The earliest and most common symptom of scabies is itching, particularly at night. An early scabies rash will show up as little red bumps, like hives, tiny bites or pimples. In more advanced cases, the skin may be crusty or scaly. Scabies will usually begin in the folds and crevices of the body — particularly between the fingers, under the arms, on the wrists, buttocks or belt line, around the nipples for women and on the penis for men. Mites also tend to hide in, or on, the skin under rings, bracelets or watchbands or under the nails. The head and face are not affected, except in children or those with weak immune systems.

Once diagnosed it is essential that the treatment is properly completed. Thoroughly massage Elimite Cream into all skin surfaces from head to the soles of the feet. It is critical to apply this on every square inch of the body, not only where the rash is. Apply between the finger and toe creases, in the folds of the wrist and waistline, in the cleft of the buttocks and on the genitals and in the belly button. Keep the nails clipped short. Scabies mites can hide under the fingernails. Use a toothpick or old toothbrush to apply beneath the fingernails and toenails.

Leave on overnight, and then remove it by bathing and shampooing (usually sooner for young children). One may notice mild itching, burning or stinging sensation after applying. This is usually just a minor, temporary reaction to the medication. If the hands or any other part of the body is washed during the treatment period, new cream must be reapplied immediately.

The cure rate is 95 % with one application. It is usual for itching and rash to continue for as long as two to four weeks after treatment. Because the 5% of people who are not cured also keep itching, a second application a week later is often advised. In some cases, repeat applications weekly are needed until cured.

Although scabies mites cannot live long without a human host, there have been a few cases of apparent transmission through infested clothing and bedding. Even so, heroic cleaning efforts are generally unnecessary. Normal washing of towels, linens and all clothes used within the previous three days is typically sufficient to prevent re-infestation. The temperature of the wash water doesn’t matter, as the mites could not possibly survive a normal washing procedure. Clean clothes or heavy winter jackets and sweaters need not be cleaned. Pesticides should not be used to fumigate the affected areas, as the scabies mite is only contagious if it is already infecting someone.

The itch usually persists for up to a few weeks, even if the treatment worked. To lessen the itch, medications for itch may also be prescribed. Antihistamines and steroids orally or topically will help make it more tolerable. The itch may fade faster if one soaks in a warm tub of water until the fingertips turn into “raisins,” then scrub the areas that tend to itch. This will eliminate the dead mites and their debris much faster than allowing them to be shed normally. Occasional patients will have to repeat this once or twice to stop the itch.

Alternate treatments are available, the latest being oral ivermectin pills. This is a new, and probably more effective treatment. It is not yet widely used for ordinary cases of scabies, but will be useful for outbreaks. Some of the older remedies, such as Kwell (lindane), are felt to be too toxic for routine use, but are effective when the Elimite fails (which is rare). Selsun lotion and sulfur ointments are occasionally used.

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The medical information provided in this site is for educational purposes only and is the property of the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice and shall not create a physician – patient relationship. If you have a specific question or concern about a skin lesion or disease, please consult a dermatologist. Any use, re-creation, dissemination, forwarding or copying of this information is strictly prohibited unless expressed written permission is given by the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.

90,000 Infectious Skin Diseases | uzalo48.lipetsk

Autumn has come, and with it the time of vacations and summer vacations has ended. All returned to the city from their places of rest, students settled in hostels. And it was during this period that specialists from health care institutions noted an increase in the detection of infectious skin diseases.

All skin diseases can be roughly divided into infectious and non-infectious. Infectious skin diseases include common parasitic and fungal diseases: scabies, head lice, mycoses (fungal skin diseases).The spread of infectious diseases is facilitated by migration of the population, increased contacts of people, overcrowding and high density of the population, some social reasons, insufficient education of people about the disease, and also self-medication plays an important role, etc. Even a clean person can bring insects from a business trip, infection can occur on a train, hotel, and children traditionally deliver this “treasure” from camps, hiking trips, summer cottages. Parents with peace of mind send their children there for the summer, and then collect the “harvest”, often become infected themselves and run to the pharmacy in search of a life-saving remedy.

Scabies

Scabies is one of the most common infectious parasitic skin diseases caused by the microscopic scabies mite Sarcoptes scabiei . The only owner of Sarcoptes scabiei is a human. It should be noted that scabies mites of animals (cats, dogs, pigs, horses, etc.) do not take root in human skin and cannot be the cause of the development of true scabies in humans (lesions of the skin of animals by mites are called sarcoptic mange).After the termination of contact with a sick animal in humans, self-healing occurs.

Scabies became known over 4000 years ago in ancient Babylon, China, Assyria, Egypt. In ancient Rome, scabies was called “scabies”, in ancient Greece – “psora”. In his writings, Aristotle described the find of scabies mites as “the presence of the smallest animals in bubbles with transparent contents.” And, only after the creation of an optical microscope, the role of scabies mites in the development of the disease was proved.

Infection usually occurs through close bodily contact, as a rule, while staying with the patient in bed at night.During the day, the ticks are at rest, and in the evening and at night they become active (the female gnaws through the passages and lays eggs, young adult ticks come out to the surface of the skin, where they mate, and the larvae go outside and scatter over its surface, so that they can penetrate inside again) …

Scabies can also be infected through underwear, bed linen, and clothing. Scabies is most common when people are crowded, violation of the norms of public and personal hygiene (rare change of linen, irregular washing, use of one towel, washcloth, etc.).).

The duration of the incubation period (the period from infection to the appearance of the first signs of the disease) is on average up to 2 weeks.

The main symptom of the disease is:

· itching of the skin, worse at night;

· the appearance of scabies on the hands, wrists, elbows, feet, mammary glands of women, genitals of men;

· the appearance of nodular and blistering rashes, scratching, bloody crusts on the trunk (abdomen, buttocks, chest), anterior – lateral thighs.

A characteristic feature of the disease in adults is the absence of manifestations of the disease on the skin of the face, neck, soles, interscapular region and axillary fossa; in children, scabies can be found everywhere.

For the prevention of re-infection with scabies, it is very important that the treatment that the patient receives is adequate and complete. When trying to self-treat scabies, it often happens that the external signs of the disease are eliminated, and the mites remain in the patient’s skin and continue to multiply and infect other people.Therefore, seeking professional medical help is necessary not only in order to get rid of an unpleasant disease yourself, but also in order to protect your loved ones from scabies.

Compliance with the rules of personal hygiene is of great importance for the prevention of scabies: timely washing, neatness and other cleanliness skills.

Everyone, both adults and children, love animals. Love for animals , , especially in children, is natural. She develops in them kindness, cordiality, tenderness, protection of the weak.The closest to humans are cats and dogs. Many of them are kept in apartments. There are many homeless people who run from yard to yard. And how can you safely walk past them, if they are still small. Often, children and adults take homeless animals home or just play with them. Raising in children a love for nature, for all living things is the sacred duty of everyone, however, acquiring an animal for a child or for oneself, one must remember that together with a friend, the possibility of infection with microsporia can enter the apartment.

Microsporia

Microsporia is the most common infectious skin disease in humans and animals. It gets its name from the small size of the spores that form its pathogens.

The causative agents of microsporia are fungi – dermatophytes (literally – growing on the skin) of the genus Microsporum, which are located in the surface layers of the skin and hair. Microsporia pathogens can remain viable for up to 10 years in the external environment. They are very tenacious, tolerate heat and frost well, but die under the influence of disinfectants and when boiled in soapy solutions.

Fungi that cause microsporia are widespread among stray animals: cats, less often dogs, domestic cats, dogs and animals such as hamsters, guinea pigs, etc. are also ill. But most often stray cats are the main source of infection. They, running through the streets, from one yard to another, become infected from each other.

Infection occurs:

in contact with a sick animal in rare cases with a sick person,

through household items infected with them: personal belongings, bed linen, bath accessories, carpets, upholstered furniture, bedding for animals, baby carriages left on the staircase, where cats and other objects can sleep,

· objects of the external environment: dust on staircases, basements of residential buildings and garbage bins, sand in playgrounds, etc.,

· hairdressing equipment: combs, hair clippers, negligees, shaving brushes.

Incubation period from 5-7 days to 5-6 weeks.

Sick animals show areas of hair loss (bald patches) in the form of round or oval spots, most often in the head (on the muzzle, inner surface of the ear), neck, and extremities. These areas are pockets of baldness with rare broken off hairs covered with scales and crusts. Merging, they can cover a large surface of the animal’s body, losing their original shape.Sometimes the animal may look healthy, but be a carrier of microsporia.

Smooth skin and scalp may be affected in humans. When smooth skin is affected, foci of a round or oval shape of pinkish-red color appear. Their surface is covered with scales, bubbles and thin crusts along the periphery. Their sizes usually do not exceed 1 – 2 cm in diameter. Their number varies from one to many. Sometimes the lesions merge. On the scalp, single round or oval lesions usually develop.Affected hair breaks off and protrudes above the skin level by 4 – 8 mm, covered with whitish scales at the base.

In case of fungal diseases, it is very important to consult a doctor – a dermatologist in a timely manner. In no case should you self-medicate, you risk not only “smearing” the picture of the disease, but also prolong the treatment time.

To prevent infection with microsporia , you must strictly follow the rules:

· do not allow children to play with stray animals, pick them up and carry them into the house;

· do not let animals into playgrounds;

· when walking pets, do not let them come into contact with stray animals;

· keep pets in specially designated places, do not take them to bed, regularly check animals with a veterinarian;

· do not throw sick animals out into the street, take them to the veterinary hospital;

· when purchasing animals, be sure to check them with a veterinarian;

Observe good personal hygiene – wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after contact with animals,

· do not use other people’s hats, clothes, combs, towels.

Remember that the most important thing in the prevention of all diseases is to observe the rules of personal hygiene.

Pediculosis

This is a contagious parasitic disease caused by lice. There are three types of lice: head lice, body lice and pubic lice. Infection most often occurs through close household contact or the use of the patient’s belongings.

When bitten by lice, severe itching occurs, which, in turn, leads to the appearance of multiple linear scratches, which can be complicated by a secondary infection.With pubic lice, a rash with a reddish-bluish tinge is characteristic of the bites.

Treatment of head lice and scabies in each individual patient should be carried out simultaneously with anti-epidemic measures (disinsection of headwear, clothing, bedding and premises, etc.)

Recommendations for parents in order to prevent this disease:

1. Ask your child not to exchange personal things with other children on the street, in kindergarten, school.

2. To reduce contact with objects and other people, avoid being with loose hair.

3. Use a rubber cap in the pool.

4. In case of infestation with lice by one of the family members, you must immediately seek medical help to prescribe adequate treatment

Check dry hair for lice and nits:

1. Comb dry hair in good light and check carefully, strand by strand.Remember, lice are almost translucent and move quickly, making them difficult to spot. Nits are easier to find: they are motionless and firmly attached to the hair roots.

2. Check the hair behind the ears and on the back of the head with particular care, as lice and nits are especially common in these areas.

3. After each combing, wipe the comb with a white cloth. In case of infection, parasites will be clearly visible on it.

Prevention of infectious skin diseases can be conditionally divided into two groups:

1.individual prevention – following the rules of personal hygiene, using only personal items and shoes, washing hands, taking a daily shower or bath, using rubber slippers in saunas, swimming pools, changing rooms, etc.,

2. preventive measures, which are carried out during all types of medical examinations, clinical examination of the population, when a doctor, based on the results of a medical examination, can identify a patient. In addition, when registering microsporia in an organized team in order to prevent the spread of the disease among contact persons, sanitary legislation provides for medical supervision of all persons in contact with the patient – a three-time examination by a dermatologist is carried out with an interval of 15 days.The identified patients are removed from school, kindergarten and sent for treatment to a dermatologist. At school, kindergarten, final (after isolation of the patient) and current disinfection is carried out.

Head of the Consultative and Diagnostic Department,

dermatovenerologist, Regional State Institution

dermatovenerologic dispensary “

Filina Elena Viktorovna

90,000 Difference between scabies and allergies – Telegraph

If spots appear on the skin and it itches, allergies are most often suspected.

Allergy is a reaction of the immune system to a specific allergen (household substances, pollen, food, medicine, etc.). Scabies is a parasitic disease caused by the scabies mite.

Some of the symptoms of these diseases coincide – spots appear on the skin, itching worries. But these are completely different diseases that are diagnosed and treated in different ways. Looking closely at the symptoms, you can independently distinguish scabies from allergies.But still, you should not guess the diagnosis and, moreover, try to heal yourself – consult a doctor.

What do the manifestations of scabies and allergies have in common, and how to distinguish the signs of one disease from another? Read about this in the article.

External symptoms

As already mentioned, with both scabies and allergies, the skin may become covered with red spots and itch begins. But with different diseases, these symptoms have their own characteristics: allergic itching can bother you regardless of the time of day, but the itching caused by scabies intensifies at the beginning of the night.At this time, a period of activity begins in females of an itch mite, they make new passages in the skin, lay eggs there. This, together with male tick bites, increases the itching.

In addition, if you carefully examine the spots on the skin associated with scabies, you can see paired passages that the scabies mite makes. If the rash is caused by an allergy, no paired passages are visible.

Scabby burrows look like thin strips slightly raised above the skin level, which are located in a straight or zigzag manner.Often at the end of such a move there is a transparent bubble, through which a white point is visible – this is the body of the tick. True, sometimes with scabies, the moves cannot be detected.

Most often, an itchy rash can be found on the hands (especially on the interdigital folds and lateral surfaces of the fingers), flexion folds of the forearms and shoulders, in the nipple area, on the buttocks, on the skin of the penis in men, on the thighs, under the knees. The favorite places for the scabies mite in young children are the soles, the face, and sometimes the scalp.In infants, scabies is often disguised as hives and looks like a large number of blisters, combed and covered with a bloody crust in the center

Other symptoms

If, in addition to rashes on the skin and itching, a person has a runny nose, and tears flow from the eyes, these are clear signs of allergy. Scabies is never accompanied by these symptoms.

In addition, against the background of an allergic reaction, there is weakness and general malaise. But for scabies, these symptoms are not typical.

Drug reaction

If the skin becomes blotchy and itchy, many people grab onto antihistamines to relieve what they think are symptoms of an allergic reaction. In the event that an allergy is indeed the cause of the discomfort, the medication will quickly help relieve or relieve the symptoms. Well, with scabies, how many antihistamines do not take will not help.

Is it contagious?

Allergies are not contagious. Its presence or absence depends only on the characteristics of the human body.But scabies is contagious. Some time after one member of the family has developed symptoms, they are often found in others. The consequences of the scabies mite’s work (spots, itching) can also be found in people from the patient’s close environment.

Infection occurs mainly through prolonged skin-to-skin contact.

The common route of transmission of scabies is sexual. Children get infected from their parents if they sleep in the same bed with them. The scabies mite can pass from one child to another while playing.In collectives, you can catch an itch mite through frequent handshakes, while engaging in contact sports.

Transmission of scabies through household items is unlikely.

In connection with the above, allergies are treated individually, and in case of scabies, all family members undergo a prophylactic course of treatment.

Diagnosis and Treatment

To pinpoint the cause of your symptoms, first see your dermatologist. A specialist will examine your skin, do a microscopic examination of the scrapings, and determine if there are mites on it.

Scabies does not go away on its own. Scabies mites can live on human skin for many months or even years, periodically exacerbating. For the treatment of scabies, local remedies are used (antiparasitic ointments, solutions, aerosols, soap), which destroy the tick and its eggs.

If the diagnosis of scabies is not confirmed, you should contact an allergist-immunologist. Allergy diagnostics take more time. The examination scheme includes examination of the patient, collection of the patient’s allergic history, general clinical examination and allergic specific testing.Allergy treatment is carried out with drugs (systemic or local action), or vaccination.

Scabies

A person who has never encountered scabies may at first, when the first symptoms appear, not realize, rather even not recognize the very fact of having this disease. For many, scabies is associated with people who lead an unclean and asocial lifestyle. However, the danger of catching scabies can lie in wait for us in the most unexpected places.For example, your favorite child might bring scabies from kindergarten. Or you yourself, having spent the night at a party, can pick up the parasite from someone else’s bed or from someone else’s towel. Close contact with an unfamiliar sex partner can also cause scabies.

Erased scabies

It also happens that a person with scabies leads an extremely clean life – while he does not show pronounced symptoms, but an erased form of the disease develops.He attributes mild skin irritation to the effects of nervous exhaustion or allergies, but in fact is the carrier of the scabies mite. In this case, all people who are in close contact with him – for example, his family – are usually also infected with a tick.

What happens with scabies?

The scabies mite has an oval shape, and the female is 2 times larger than the male. Its length is about 0.5 mm, and the “height” of the male is only 0.2 mm. It is the females that cause the disease. After the mites hit the skin, they adapt and actively interbreed within 10-20 days.Then the males die, and the female lays the so-called itch tunnels – grayish lines with small bubbles at the end or small reddish eminences with bubbles. These moves are intended for laying eggs and breeding offspring in them. After 4-5 days, larvae hatch from the eggs, which immediately begin to make new moves.

The areas of the body with thin and delicate skin are especially strongly affected – the interdigital spaces on the hands, the area of the wrist joints, elbows, the inner thighs, the skin around the nipples of the mammary glands, on the head of the penis.Somewhat less often, the skin of the abdomen and buttocks is affected. In young children, the scabies mite can take a fancy to any part of the body, even the soles.

Complications of scabies

By itself, scabies does not pose a danger to human life. However, the famous “night chas” – itching, which especially pesters a person at night, does not give the opportunity to fall asleep, can bring anyone to a nervous breakdown. In addition, against the background of scratching, purulent inflammation of the skin can begin – impetigo, ecthyma, folliculitis, boils, and the waste products of ticks can cause an allergic reaction.

For persons with immunodeficiency (AIDS, people undergoing chemotherapy), scabies can be fatal. In them, it goes into a form called Norwegian, with a sharp increase in the number of parasites and severe complications.

Diagnosis of scabies

Scabies mites are easy to spot. This is a fairly common disease, therefore, in the presence of scratching and regular nighttime itching, the dermatologist immediately gives a referral for an analysis for scabies.
For this, a scraping is made from the affected areas and checked under a conventional microscope.

Treatment of scabies

By itself, scabies never goes away, and therefore requires treatment with special cutaneous means. The person recovers within 4-5 days. Now there are a lot of very effective tools that are used only 1-2 times, depending on the degree of infection and the brand of the drug itself.

Disinfection for scabies

If scabies is detected in one of the family members, it is also advisable for the rest to be examined by a dermatologist, or better, simply to undergo a course of treatment.The most important thing in the treatment of scabies is to carry out the most complete disinfection of your home with special means and warn all your friends who might have become infected.

All linen is boiled, children’s toys and things that cannot be washed are packed in tight plastic bags without access to air and, if possible, are taken out in the cold for several days.

Sources

Braun M., Yedidi RS., Raffi J., Butler DC., Murase JE. The challenge of diagnosing scabies in the elderly: A case and a novel therapeutic approach.// Int J Womens Dermatol – 2020 – Vol6 – N5 – p.452-453; PMID: 33898719
Zaias N., Escovar S., Jungcharoensukying P. Crusted Scabies Presenting as White Superficial Onychomycosislike Lesions. // Cutis – 2021 – Vol107 – N2 – p.E27-E28; PMID: 33891851
Behera P., Munshi H., Kalkonde Y., Deshmukh M., Bang A. Control of scabies in a tribal community using mass screening and treatment with oral ivermectin -A cluster randomized controlled trial in Gadchiroli, India. // PLoS Negl Trop Dis – 2021 – Vol15 – N4 – p.e0009330; PMID: 33861741
Wohlrab J., Stadie L., Neubert RHH., Bosse K. [Development of an ivermectin-containing syrup as an extemporaneous preparation for treatment of scabies in children]. // Hautarzt – 2021 – Vol – NNULL – p .; PMID: 33847760
Bedoya Del Campillo A., Lleopart N., ChQR G., Álvarez M., Montilla M., Martínez-Carpio PA. Intervention protocol to improve scabies control in enclosed communities: a case report. // Rev Esp Sanid Penit – 2021 – Vol23 – N1 – p.37-42; PMID: 33847704
Thompson R., Westbury S., Slape D. Paediatrics: how to manage scabies. // Drugs Context – 2021 – Vol10 – NNULL – p .; PMID: 33828606
Welch E., Romani L., Whitfeld MJ. Recent advances in understanding and treating scabies. // Fac Rev – 2021 – Vol10 – NNULL – p.28; PMID: 33817697
Wang Y., Liu Y., Long FQ. Crusted scabies mimicking psoriasis in a patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus. // An Bras Dermatol – 2021 – Vol – NNULL – p .; PMID: 33781644
Soerensen CAS., Pallesen KAU., Munk NT., Vestergaard C. Eleven Danish patients diagnosed with Scabies and treated with Tenutex®. // Clin Case Rep – 2021 – Vol9 – N3 – p.1688-1690; PMID: 33768915
Taneja G., Bhatia R., Hazarika N., Kalonia T. Immunocompromised Cutaneous District Revisited: Florid Scabies in Paralytic Limb. // Indian Dermatol Online J – 2021 – Vol12 – N1 – p. 176-177; PMID: 33768048

90,000 Infectious skin diseases

Which season do you like best? Winter? Spring? Summer? Autumn? For me personally, summer is hot, reckless, the time of vacations and summer vacations.Summer ends, and everyone returns to the city from their places of rest, students are settled in hostels. It was then that there was an increase in the detection of infectious skin diseases: scabies and microsporia.

Scabies

Scabies is one of the most common infectious parasitic skin diseases caused by the microscopic scabies mite Sarcoptes scabiei . The only owner of Sarcoptes scabiei is a human. It should be noted that scabies mites of animals (cats, dogs, pigs, horses, etc.)) do not take root in human skin and cannot be the cause of the development of true scabies in humans (lesions of the skin of animals by mites are called sarcoptic mange). After the termination of contact with a sick animal in humans, self-healing occurs.

Scabies became known over 4000 years ago in ancient Babylon, China, Assyria, Egypt. In ancient Rome, scabies was called “scabies”, in ancient Greece – “psora”. In his writings, Aristotle described the find of scabies mites as “the presence of the smallest animals in bubbles with transparent contents.”And, only after the creation of an optical microscope, the role of scabies mites in the development of the disease was proved.

The causative agent of scabies is small (female 0.25-0.4 mm, male 0.15-0.2 mm), practically invisible to the naked eye, adapted to life in the thickness of the skin and feeds on the stratum corneum of the epidermis. The male lives no more than 1-3 days, after fertilization of the females, he dies. The female’s reproductive period lasts about one month. She lays 1-2 eggs per day, and in her entire life – about 50 eggs.

Infection usually occurs through close bodily contact, as a rule, while staying with the patient in bed at night. During the day, the ticks are at rest, and in the evening and at night they become active (the female gnaws through the passages and lays eggs, young adult ticks come out to the surface of the skin, where they mate, and the larvae go outside and scatter over its surface, so that they can penetrate inside again) …

Scabies can also be infected through underwear, bed linen, and clothing.Scabies is most common when people are crowded, violation of the norms of public and personal hygiene (rare change of linen, irregular washing, use of one towel, washcloth, etc.).

The duration of the incubation period (the period from infection to the appearance of the first signs of the disease) is on average up to 2 weeks.

The main symptom of the disease is:

itching of the skin, worse at night;
the appearance of scabies on the hands, wrists, elbows, feet, mammary glands of women, genitals of men;
the appearance of nodular and blistering rashes, scratching, bloody crusts on the trunk (abdomen, buttocks, chest), anterior – lateral thighs.

If you or your family members develop the above symptoms, it is imperative to consult a dermatologist. There is no need to self-medicate, this will erase the clinical picture of the disease and complicate the correct diagnosis.Moreover, improper treatment leads to a protracted course of the disease, disrupts the general health of the patient, and most importantly, to the infection of loved ones. Timely qualified treatment and the implementation of the doctor’s recommendations leads to a complete recovery. If there is a patient with scabies in the family, then at the time of treatment he should be somewhat fenced off from the rest of the family. A person with scabies needs to have his own towel, bed linen, and, of course, he should sleep at night separately from other family members to avoid infection with itch mite.All personal belongings of the patient must be properly disinfected. It is recommended to boil bed and underwear, towels in 1-2% soda solution or with any washing powder for 10 minutes from the moment of boiling (when boiling, mites die almost instantly). The patient’s outerwear (dresses, suits, etc.) that he wore must be ironed with an iron on both sides (preferably with steaming). Fur coats, leather goods and suede are hung out in the open air for at least 5 days in the warm season or for one day in the cold starvation, and moisture deficiency).In the room where there is a patient with scabies, it is necessary to carry out daily wet cleaning using disinfectants or 1-2% soap and soda solution. When cleaning, special attention should be paid to objects with which the patient’s hands often come into contact, for example, door handles or armrests of chairs.

For the prevention of re-infection with scabies, it is very important that the treatment that the patient receives is adequate and complete. When trying to self-treat scabies, it often happens that the external signs of the disease are eliminated, and the mites remain in the patient’s skin and continue to multiply and infect other people.Therefore, seeking professional medical help is necessary not only in order to get rid of an unpleasant disease yourself, but also in order to protect your loved ones from scabies.

Compliance with the rules of personal hygiene is of great importance for the prevention of scabies: timely washing, neatness and other cleanliness skills.

Microsporia

Microsporia is the most common infectious skin disease in humans and animals. It gets its name from the small size of the spores that form its pathogens.

The causative agents of microsporia are fungi – dermatophytes (literally growing on the skin) of the genus Microsporum, which nest in the surface layers of the skin and hair. In their microscopic structure, they are similar to ordinary forest mushrooms, since they have a mycelium and have adapted to parasitizing the skin of humans and animals, causing fungal diseases in them.Microsporia pathogens can remain viable for up to 10 years in the external environment. They are very tenacious, tolerate heat and frost well, but die under the influence of disinfectants and when boiled in soapy solutions

Infection occurs:

upon contact with a sick animal in rare cases with a sick person,
through household items infected with them: personal belongings, bedding, bath accessories, carpets, upholstered furniture, animal bedding, baby carriages left on the staircase where cats and other objects can sleep,
objects of the external environment: dust on staircases, basements of residential buildings and garbage bins, sand in playgrounds, etc.,
hairdressing equipment: combs, hair clippers, peignoirs, shaving brushes.

Incubation period from 5-7 days to 5-6 weeks.

In sick animals , areas of hair loss (bald patches) in the form of round or oval spots are noticeable, most often in the head (on the muzzle, inner surface of the ear), neck, and extremities. These areas are pockets of baldness with rare broken off hairs covered with scales and crusts.Merging, they can cover a large surface of the animal’s body, losing their original shape. Sometimes the animal may look healthy, but be a carrier of microsporia.

In people children under the age of 14 are more likely to get sick. When smooth skin is affected, foci of a round or oval shape of pinkish-red color appear. Their surface is covered with scales, bubbles and thin crusts along the periphery. Their sizes usually do not exceed 1 – 2 cm in diameter. Their number varies from one to many.Sometimes the lesions merge. On the scalp, single round or oval lesions usually develop. Affected hair breaks off and protrudes above the skin level by 4 – 8 mm, covered with whitish scales at the base.

To prevent infection with microsporia , you must strictly follow the rules:

Do not allow children to play with stray animals, pick them up and carry them into the house;
do not let animals into playgrounds;
when walking pets, do not let them come into contact with stray animals;
keep pets in specially designated places, do not take them to bed, regularly check animals with a veterinarian;
Do not throw sick animals out into the street, take them to the veterinary hospital;
when purchasing animals, be sure to check them with a veterinarian;
practice good personal hygiene – wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling animals,
Do not use other people’s hats, clothes, combs, towels.

Remember that the most important thing in the prevention of all diseases is to observe the rules of personal hygiene!

“Scabies. Symptoms, diagnosis, treatment. ” – Yandex.Qu

What is scabies?

Scabies is a highly contagious skin condition that presents with an extremely itchy rash. The disease is caused by a specific skin parasite – the scabies mite, which lives on the skin and inside the human skin. Scabies is spread to people from other people through skin-to-skin contact.Nowadays, it is easily treatable with special anti-scabies. Usually, two applications of the lotion at intervals of one week are enough for a complete recovery.
Scabies mites are very small.
Photo 1. Scabies mite (1) under a microscope, mite eggs (2).

It is easy to see these parasites under a microscope: they have a cream-colored body, bristles and spines on the back, and four pairs of legs. The female tick is larger (approximately 0.4 mm x 0.3 mm) compared to the male (0.2 mm x 0.15 mm).
Photo 2. Scabies mite (1) under a microscope, mite eggs (2). Small black dots near large oval eggs are waste products.

Females of ticks bore tunnels in human skin (on photo 3 it is indicated by an arrow), in which they lay eggs.

During her life, the female lays about 40-50 eggs. Larvae hatch from the eggs after 3-4 days, which become adults within 10-15 days. The larvae often die; out of every 10 larvae, one reaches a sexually mature state.
Most of the symptoms of scabies are caused by the immune system’s response to the mites themselves, their saliva, their eggs, or their feces.
The average number of sexually mature ticks in an infected person is 12. Children from disadvantaged areas with advanced scabies sometimes have more than 100 ticks.

How common is scabies?

Scabies is a common disease. For example, in the UK, about 1 person in every 1000 gets scabies every month.Scabies is more common in urban areas, among women and children (probably due to closer contact), and during the winter (for the same reason – people spend more time in close contact). The global burden of scabies reaches 300 million patients.

How can you get scabies?

In order to become infected, a healthy person usually needs to have close skin-to-skin contact with a sick person. The scabies mite cannot fly or jump.
In most cases, scabies is transmitted after prolonged touching the skin of an infected person. That is why the first symptoms most often occur on the hands.
Close skin-to-skin contact during sex is the second most common way of contracting scabies.
Skin-to-skin contact should not be fleeting and should take a certain amount of time. Thus, you are unlikely to catch scabies from an infected person through accidental short contact with them, such as shaking hands or welcoming them.
Ticks live in human skin and can survive without a human for no more than 24-36 hours. Therefore, infection through shared bedding, if it just lay for 3 days without treatment. However, due to the potential risk, it is recommended that all tissue surfaces that have come into contact with the patient be hot washed.
Sometimes scabies outbreaks occur in crowded areas, such as kindergartens or barracks, where people are in close contact on a regular basis.

What are the symptoms and signs of scabies?

Tick-borne passages (tunnels).They can be seen on the skin as small, dark or silvery lines about 2-10 mm long (with an entry point and an exit point). They are most often found on the areas of skin between the fingers, on the inner surface of the wrist. However, they can occur anywhere on the skin. You may not notice the strokes until the rash starts or you get severe itching.
Photo 4. Scabies stroke

Itching. This is the most severe symptom, usually starting in one area (arm) but quickly spreading to other areas.Itching is usually worse at night and after a hot bath. You can have severe itching even if you are infected with just a few mites.
Rash. Rash usually appears shortly after itching begins. Typically, it is a maculopapular red rash that can appear anywhere on the body. The rash is most noticeable on the inner thighs, abdomen and buttocks, armpits, and around the nipples in women. The rash is usually quite common and can be easily diagnosed by a doctor.Nevertheless, in some people, the rash is completely atypical, similar to completely different skin diseases, hence sometimes errors in the diagnosis and treatment of scabies occur.

Photo 5. Scabies on the buttocks

Photo 6. Rash with scabies in the armpit

Combs. Scratching is associated with intense itching and is superficial damage to the skin from the patient’s own nails.In some cases, these skin lesions become infected with pathogenic bacteria – and a secondary bacterial skin infection occurs. These areas of skin become flushed, inflamed, hot, and painful.

Aggravation of pre-existing skin diseases. Scabies can worsen the symptoms of other skin conditions, especially diseases that are initially pruritic, such as atopic eczema, psoriasis, etc. Diagnosis of scabies in such cases is often extremely difficult.
Note: itching and rash with scabies is caused by an allergic reaction to scabies mites (or their saliva, feces or eggs). The first symptoms of scabies usually appear 2 to 6 weeks after infection. Itching and rash can develop on any part of the skin, and not only in those places where itch itching directly damages the skin. Remember that you may have been contagious before symptoms appeared, and long before you knew you had scabies.

The photo shows several typical scabies tunnels on either side of the carpal skin fold. This patient was photographed before the typical rash that occurs in response to tick bites.
The rash itself, in the classic version, looks like this:

Rash localized in a typical place – the interdigital spaces of the hand:

And this photo clearly shows a typical tunnel from an itch mite:

Symptoms of recurrent scabies

It usually takes 2-6 weeks from infection to the first symptoms of scabies.However, if you have already had scabies, have successfully cured, but got infected again – the symptoms may be slightly different. In such cases, the rash and itching develop much faster – within one to two days. This is because the body is already sensitized to the allergens secreted by itch itch and reacts very violently to them.

How is scabies diagnosed?

Scabies is usually a clinical diagnosis, that is, a doctor’s examination is sufficient to confirm it, without any additional tests and analyzes.The doctor sees a rash typical of scabies and immediately diagnoses and prescribes treatment. But in some doubtful cases, the doctor may prescribe a skin scraping to look for itch pruritus under a microscope to confirm the diagnosis. And in cases where itching and a typical rash develop simultaneously in several people living in the same house, the diagnosis becomes obvious upon examination of one of them.

How is it treated?

Scabies will continue indefinitely if left untreated.
Treatment is required for:

Anyone with scabies
All members of his family
All people with whom he came into bodily contact (masseur, nurse …)
All sexual partners.

Treatment is given to all these people, even if they do not have the slightest symptoms, since they may already be infected and even infect others without having any clinical manifestations of the disease.
Note: All contacts should be treated with anti-scratch lotion or spray on the same day as the sick person to avoid re-infection from each other.

What drugs are used for treatment?

Scabies is usually easily curable. The standard therapy for scabies is skin preparations containing 5% permethrin (Medifox, Nittifor, etc.). Permethrin is an insecticide that kills scabies mites. If permethrin cannot be used (for example, because of an allergy to it), then a 0.5% aqueous solution of malathion (Pair plus) is used. The combination of drugs esdepallethrine + piperonyl butoxide (Spregal)
is also highly active. All these drugs are easy to use and highly effective.The anti-scabies drug is applied to the skin twice – on the first day of therapy, and on the seventh day from the first application. Such a scheme is guaranteed to kill all scabies mites on and inside human skin.
Please note that daily hot baths, soap or shower gel will NOT cure you of scabies. The use of the above insecticides is mandatory.

Regulations for the use of anti-scabies drugs

Read the instructions for the selected preparation, specify for which skin areas it is allowed.Some drugs are applied to all areas of the body, including the scalp and face, while others should only be applied to the skin below the neck.
Do not forget to treat hard-to-reach areas such as the perianal region, back, soles of the feet, interdigital spaces of the hands and feet, subungual beds and genitals.
Pay special attention to areas where tick tunnels are most common: wrists and elbows, skin in the fold under a woman’s breasts, armpits, and the area around the nipple in women.
An adult needs at least 30 g of cream or 100 ml of lotion to apply enough to all areas of the body. That is, for a double treatment of one adult, it is necessary to purchase at least 60 g of cream or 200 ml of lotion.
Apply cream or lotion to dry, not steamed skin (not after a hot bath).
The cream or lotion should be left on the skin for as long as recommended in its instructions. For example, permethrin-based products should be left on the skin for 8-12 hours.Malathion products should not be rinsed off for 24 hours.
Children should not go to school or kindergarten until after the first day of treatment.
If on the day of treatment you wash your hands or any other part of the body after washing, you must reapply the cream or lotion to the washed skin areas.
Mothers who are breastfeeding should rinse the lotion or cream off the nipples before each feeding and reapply after feeding.
When treating a young child, you should put mittens on the handles to prevent the child from licking the medication.
Clothes, towels, and bed linen that have come into contact with the sick person should be washed at a temperature not lower than 50 C immediately after the first course of treatment. This temperature kills the scabies mites. If something cannot be washed in hot water, wrap it in plastic bags and leave it unused for at least 72 hours – the mites will starve to death. It is also permissible to iron the fabrics with a hot iron for the purpose of disinfection (disinsection), or place them in a hot dryer for 10-30 minutes.However, remember that heat treatment of furniture, living quarters, or pets is impractical and dangerous.

Some patients with symptoms of a secondary bacterial skin infection may also need antibiotics.

When treatment is ineffective

See your doctor again if itching persists for more than 2-3 weeks after treatment. Sometimes the first treatment is ineffective and has to be repeated.Most common causes of scabies treatment failure:

The cream or lotion was used incorrectly, in violation of the instructions of the drug.
There is close contact with a sick person (re-infection).

Note: Remember that itching can persist for a while after correct and effective treatment, this is normal. This is due to the slow fading away of the allergic reaction to ticks. Itching can persist for 2 to 3 weeks, and sometimes even up to six weeks, and by itself is not a reliable sign of therapy failure.
Moreover, even after successful treatment, sometimes there are isolated elements of a red-brown nodular rash up to 2 cm in diameter. Such residual elements are located most often on the genitals and in the armpits. Such a rash does not mean that the ticks have not been killed or that the patient is still infectious. This is a skin allergic reaction to a tick, and it can persist for a very long time: from three months to one year.

Itching treatment

Itching can be very uncomfortable.It can be weakened either with topical medications or with pills. Talking about menthol can provide temporary relief. The use of steroid creams should be avoided, especially if the diagnosis of scabies is not certain.
First generation antihistamines can also reduce itching and increase sleepiness – these effects can improve your sleep.

Norwegian scabies

This type of scabies is quite rare and uncommon.
This is the most severe form of scabies resulting from hyperinfection with scabies mites. With this form, several thousand, or even millions of mites live on a person, which causes excessive peeling of the skin. Excessive desquamation, plus a huge number of ticks – lead to an extreme infectiousness of such a patient. Abundant rash, crusts, severe secondary bacterial skin infections – make this form of the disease very difficult for the patient.

Norwegian scabies usually occurs in people with severely weakened immunity: in patients with HIV / AIDS, patients receiving chemotherapy, in emaciated elderly patients, etc.
Norwegian scabies is more often transmitted than common scabies through contact with towels, bedding and fabric covering upholstered furniture. Mites spreading from a person with Norwegian scabies can survive outside the skin of a person for up to a week. Even people with minimal contact with a Norwegian scabies patient, such as dry cleaners, can become infected and should therefore receive treatment when an outbreak is dealt with. An outbreak of Norwegian scabies in a building that has many immunocompromised people in close contact, such as a nursing home, is an extremely difficult problem.In such situations, absolutely everyone who has visited the building: an elderly patient, staff or relatives of patients, needs active treatment.
On contact with a patient with Norwegian scabies, a healthy person with an intact immune system develops scabies. Scabies in people with HIV infection can be very difficult to eradicate, and relapses are not uncommon, even after several, most thorough courses of treatment.
When writing the article, the following materials were used:

90,000 Allergic itching in a dog, how to treat and how to remove

What is allergy

An allergy is a malfunction of the immune system, due to which the body begins to perceive safe substances as harmful.The cells, which usually protect against the invasion of third-party and really dangerous substances, begin to attack themselves. Outwardly, this manifests itself in the form of various reactions on the skin and coat, edema and discharge from the ears. The constant itching causes the dog to itch and lick its paws, which can cause painful scratching on various parts of the body.

Causes

Allergies occur for various reasons. For example, due to the bites of external parasites (fleas, mosquitoes, itch and ear mites).Some dog breeds are sensitive to chemicals in detergents, cosmetics, synthetic carpets and insecticides (insect sprays). Food allergies – one of the rarest types of allergies in dogs – can be caused by fish, chicken, certain types of meat, milk and its derivatives, soy, cereals and other foods.

Most of the concern for dogs and their owners is “environmental allergy” or atopic dermatitis .This disease manifests itself when small allergens (pollen, dust mites, mold) get into the skin of the animal from the air. Often the first signs begin to appear in young dogs between 6 months and 3 years of age.

Difficulties of treatment

Finding the cause of an allergy is difficult, as all types of allergies have similar symptoms. To rule out other serious diseases with similar symptoms, the veterinarian must conduct a comprehensive examination of the animal, including cultures and scrapings, cytological examination and other tests.During the diagnosis of food allergies, the animal is kept on a strict hypoallergenic diet. Limit the prescription and intake of certain medications that relieve allergy symptoms, such as hormonal drugs.

It is almost impossible to completely cure an allergy in a dog. The main therapy is to limit the contact of the animal with the allergen. This is relatively easy in the case of food allergies, a little more difficult if the animal’s body is exposed to chemical compounds in detergents and synthetic coatings.In order to prevent the appearance of fleas and ticks and not to treat the diseases they carry, it is enough to choose a suitable antiparasitic agent.

The hardest hit is dogs with atopic dermatitis. It is simply impossible to completely neutralize allergens in the air, because of which the animal will be in constant contact with irritants. These dogs require special care and, in most cases, lifelong therapy for atopic dermatitis.

Fight itching

As mentioned above, allergy treatment begins with determining its cause.Unfortunately, the search can be delayed, and the animal will be forced to experience discomfort for a long time due to unpleasant symptoms.

Allergic itching is the most troublesome. The innovative drug Apoquel can help relieve this symptom. It contains the active ingredient oclacitinib. At the cellular level, it limits the work of the receptor that responds to the allergen and causes itching.

According to individual indications, the animal can be prescribed hormonal drugs (corticosteroids), immunosuppressants (cyclosporine).However, the use of these funds can cause side effects: drowsiness, disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract, changes in behavior, thirst, frequent urination, increased appetite.

Remember, only a veterinarian can prescribe treatment. Do not use medicines without consulting a specialist!

Subcutaneous “sabotage”: how to recognize scabies?

Is it possible to draw up a “medical dossier” on an arrogant parasite? How does an unaesthetic illness manifest? What is the danger of itching at night? Natalia Bezrukova, a dermatovenerologist at the 24th City Polyclinic for Special Medical Examinations, comments on the “unhealthy situation”.

Disgusting “turtles”

The “official status” of scabies is an infectious parasitic itchy dermatosis. The threatening name points to the culprit of the discomfort – a tiny tick. This inconspicuous creature is difficult to see with the naked eye. The “master of unauthorized tunneling” is clearly visible under the magnifying glass. It resembles a mini turtle with a whitish shell. Fertile females provoke annoying itching.

“Ticks”, burdened with future offspring, first “drill” the vertical course.Then “live gimbals” make a horizontal “path” in the stratum corneum. Females lay eggs in this depression. After 4 weeks, viable offspring appear and the cycle repeats.

Sloppy is a sure way to get infected

The easiest way to “catch” scabies is through direct contact with the “host” of the parasites. To do this, it is enough to use underwear or bedclothes of an involuntary benefactor of “annoying tenants”.Upholstered furniture can also be a source of “infection”. It is not difficult to get an illness in the locker room of a bath or pool. Unplanned sexual intercourse is fraught with danger.

Fans of furry “friends of man” also take risks. In the thick fur of cats, dogs and other pets, special types of ticks often live, which are not averse to “celebrating housewarming” by changing the temporary “owner”. Failure to comply with hygiene rules increases the chances of infection.

When the secret is revealed

The incubation period lasts from several days to 4-6 weeks.The duration of the “waiting time” depends on the number of “uninvited guests” who have gotten on the skin. The season of the year also matters. During the warmer months, the development period of scabies mites is shorter than in late autumn and winter.

The first signs of “coming changes” are nighttime itching in certain areas of the skin. Sometimes patients notice blisters or red spots that disappear soon after. Unbearable itching leads to insomnia. Lack of rest often causes functional disorders of the nervous system.The irritated sufferers begin to scratch the skin, “drawing” linear combs on it. Parallel red lines are a typical symptom of the disease.

“Ugly” clinical picture

The itch run is a thin grayish-white line that looks like a scratch. Along the winding or straight “trajectory” there are dark spots – skin pollution. At one end of the narrow “path” you can see an inflammatory nodule or vesicle the size of a pinhead to a cherry pit.Over time, the bubbles dry up and turn into large crusts.

Most often, tick-borne “tunnels” are located in the interdigital spaces, on the lateral surfaces of the fingers, on the inner side of the forearms and shoulders. Scabies “undermines” can be found around the nipples, on the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, genitals. In infants, parasites often “inhabit” the skin of the palms, soles, face and head. “Unpretentious” itch itch is able to “inhabit” any part of the human skin.

How to stop infection

If the patient neglects treatment, scabies can last for a long time, up to several years. A “neglected” disease “is often accompanied by complications. It is not difficult to diagnose scabies. Doctors dermatologists immediately prescribe effective drugs. With the right treatment, recovery always occurs.

If scabies is detected, it is necessary to examine all family members and the working group of patients.Prompt “contact tracing” is the best way of mass prevention. It is especially important to quickly identify and temporarily isolate patients with scabies in children’s institutions.

The victims of the tick-borne “invasion” should use a personal towel and bed linen. During the treatment period, you need to sleep on a separate bed. It is recommended to disinfect clothes and underwear of the patient by boiling in a solution of soda for 10 minutes after boiling. After “cooking” the fabric is best ironed with a hot iron.Outerwear should be steam ironed. It is better to hang out leather coats, suede jackets, fur coats and raincoats in fresh air for 5 days. In winter, the period of “walking” can be reduced to one day.

Items that cannot stand “heat treatment” (toys, furniture, carpets, shoes, mattresses) must be disinfected with a special preparation.

In the patient’s room, you need to carry out daily wet cleaning using a soda solution or more modern means.Door handles, tabletops and armrests are subject to careful processing.

What looks like scabies: The request could not be satisfied

How to Know if That Rash Is Scabies

What Else Looks Like Scabies?

Scabies – NHS

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When it’s not scabies

A pharmacist can help with scabies

Things you can do during treatment to stop scabies spreading

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Scabies and hygiene

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Scabies: Symptoms, Treatments

Overview

What is scabies?

Who gets scabies?

Symptoms and Causes

What are the symptoms of scabies?

Diagnosis and Tests

How can I know if I or my child has scabies?

Can I see the mite?

Management and Treatment

How is scabies treated?

How soon are the mites killed?

How soon does the itching stop?

How soon does the rash go away?

Prevention

How can I prevent spreading scabies?

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If my child has scabies, how soon can they return to school?

Can a person get scabies more than once?

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What is scabies?

What causes scabies?

Who is at risk for scabies?

What are the symptoms of scabies?

How is scabies diagnosed?

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What are possible complications of scabies?

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Scabies – treatments, symptoms and prevention

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“Scabies. Symptoms, diagnosis, treatment. ” – Yandex.Qu

What is scabies?

How common is scabies?

How can you get scabies?

What are the symptoms and signs of scabies?

Symptoms of recurrent scabies

How is scabies diagnosed?

How is it treated?

What drugs are used for treatment?

When treatment is ineffective

Itching treatment

Norwegian scabies

What is allergy

Causes