Scabies

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Scabies is a common skin condition that is very contagious. It is caused by female mites burrowing into the skin, and laying their eggs. The burrowing of the mites leaves people who suffer from scabies with a rash and in some instances thin raised lesions that can be described as ‘pencil marks’, although not all people display this symptom.  It is common to have redness and itching around the body, but not as much on the face and scalp. Due to the nature of the symptoms associated with scabies, it is particularly difficult for those who suffer from eczema or psoriasis to realise when they have scabies. As mentioned scabies is highly contagious, and can be passed easily through close contact and in places where many people are living together like hostels or nursing homes.

Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominisis part of the arhropod class, Arachnida. The scabies mites burrow into the surface later of the skin, however they will never burrow below the stratum corneium. The mites that have burrowed appear on the surface of the skin as small rasied serpentine lines that can be grayish or skin coloured; they can be a centimenter or more in length.

There are other types of scabies mites that can cause infestation in other mammals like domestic cats, dogs, pigs or horses. It should be made apparent that the type of mite found on other animals might cause a self-limited infestation in humans with temporary itching because of the accompanying dermatitis- they are however unlikely to multiply in humans.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/scabies/biology.html

After the scabies mite burrows into the skin it usually takes some time for signs and symptoms to develop. If you have had previous scabies infection, the itching usually begins in 1 - 4 days after exposure. If you have had no prior infestation the body will often need some time to develop a reaction to the mite and therefore the itching will likely start 2 -  6 weeks after you have been exposed.

Some of the most common signs and symptoms of scabies are as follows:

• Rash: Most people get the scabies rash. The rash casues little bumps which will often form a line. The bumps can often be mistaken for hives, tiny bites or pimples. Some people develop scaly patches that might look like eczema.
• Nocturnal Itching: Itching, particularly in the evening, is the most common symptoms associated with scabies- the itch can be so intense that it is known to keep people awake in the evening.
• Sores: Scratching the itchy rash can often lead to red and raw areas, which might become infected.
• Thick Crust on Skin: Crust will form when the person develops a severe type of scabies called 'crusted scabies'. Another name for this type of scabies is Norwegian Scabies. 

Your local pharmacist will recommend creams and lotions as a suitable treatment. Permethrin 5% cream is the most used in the treatment against scabies, It is applied all over the body before sleep, and left on overnight, then washed off in the morning. Everyone in the household should be treated with the cream even if they do not present symptoms and then repeat the treatment 7 days later to ensure all the eggs have been killed. If the scabies is more severe, then sometimes an oral tablet called ivermectin can also be used. While prescription medicines can kill scabies mites and their eggs, they don't provide any immediate itch relief. To control itching, especially at night, antihistamines such as chlorphenamine can help. Hydrocortisone cream may also help, but it can change the appearance of the scabies rash, making the condition harder to diagnose so it is advised to use this cream only after a medical professional has confirmed the diagnosis.