Scabies can be contagious?? Know all about scabies

What is scabies? Is it contagious??

Scabies is a contagious skin disease that occurs due to the bite of the insects that form deep burrows into the skin. 

These insects are the tiny mites known as Sarcoptes scaibei. They penetrate the skin layer and dig burrows or tunnels inside the skin. They lay eggs there and grow in number. 

Scabies can be extremely discomforting and annoying as you feel constant itching through day and night. At night, the itching comes uncontrolled and it disrupts the sleep.  

What are the signs and symptoms of Scabies?

Scabies can take 2-4 weeks to show the initial symptoms.  A person may not show any symptoms in teh beginning or might have some small pimples in the affected parts.  It may be followed by the skin rashes, scattered red bumps appear on the affected areas or body parts. 

Severe itching is the main symptom of scabies. 

• Skin rashes,red bumps or swollen skin
• Constant itching. Itching is so extreme that can disturb your sleep at night
• Visible burrows on the skin in the form of wavy tunnels. 
• Infected skin rashes due to constant scratching. 

Where do the Scabies mite attack in our body?

Scabies mites reside into the body parts that usually remain moist such as:

• Between our fingers and toes
• In between the folds of hips
• In the folds of wrist and ankles
• Under our nails
• In our armpits
• Under the nipples of breast
• In the folds of groin
• palms or insides of our wrists
• In the folds around genital parts
• On our buttocks
• Soles of our feet
• On our chest
• On our belly part
• On our scalp of head
• Under the wrist bands or watches

Who gets more affected with Scabies infestation? 

Almost anyone can get infested with Scabies mites. But it is commonly seen in the places which are crowded, day-care centers, lack of ventilation, local presence of the mites in the area. 

Most commonly affected people are: 

• Children from their parents due to prolonged contact
• Elderly people who live in nursing homes
• People who share small space together for prolonged hours
• People who share clothing and bedding
• People working or living in crowded places

What are the causes of Scabies? 

Scabies is caused by the mite infestation. These mites are called Sarcoptes scaibei var. hominis. The mites dig burrows or tunnels inside the skin. It is the female mite lays eggs on the outer layer of skin. As the eggs hatch, the larvae of the mites reach up on the skin and start maturing on the skin. 

Our body produces an allergic reaction to the presence of the mites, the larvae and the waste materials from egg hatching. This produces red skin rashes or bumps on the skin.  Severe itching is the major symptom of scabies. 

Once the mites spread on our skin, they can transfer rapidly to other person by physical contact, sharing beds and clothes.  Children and elderly people are more likely to have scabies. 

How is scabies diagnosed? 

Scabies can be diagnosed by:

On having severe itching and difficulty in sleeping due to itch, you may rush to your skin doctor. Your skin doctor may assess the physical symptoms and may notice some wavy patterns on your skin. In some cases the mite might be visible slightly. The scabies mite is a eight-legged tiny mite.  Your doctor may try to pull out some clearly evident mite or inspect it using magnifying lens. 

However, it is usually not possible to see a mite. So your doctor may use a scalpel to scrape off slight portion of rash and send it for microscopic examination to  confirm the diagnosis of scabies. 

What is the treatment of scabies? 

Scabies is a treatable skin infestation. Your doctor may give you skin cream containing Permethrin to apply on the skin rashes. It kills the mites. Such medications are called scabicides. Scabicides are effective in killing the mites, eggs or both.  

Your doctor may prescribe you lotion and creams to apply down your neck to whole body where the rashes are present. In case of children, it is advised to use as per recommendations on the head, face, scalp to.

Important instructions while getting treated for scabies:

1. 1. Once you know, you have scabies infestation, start taking treatment. 
2. Always apply the lotion or cream only on clean skin as ordered by your doctor.
3. Never use any over the counter medications or self-treat the condition
4. Disinfect all the clothing and bedding linen of the infested person and wash it thorougly.
5. Put all the linen and clothing in direct sunlight for atleast 72 hours. It is believed that these mites cannot live for more than 2-3 days away from skin contact. This will ensure your clothing and linen is all scabies-free. 
6. IF you are treated for scabies, it is equally important for your partner to get assessed for the infestation and start treatment immediately. 
7. All the family member of the person infested with scabies should undergo medical checkup for the scabies and initiate treatment as advised by the doctor. 
8. When applying the scabicidal lotions and creams, make sure you read the instructions on the cover of the box clearly. Wash off the cream and lotion thoroughly as instructed. 
9. You may not feel relief from itching for several days following treatment. It may take some time to go scabies-free. Meanwhile do not discontinue the medication. 
10. In case of skin sores that are infected, your doctor may order antibiotic medications. Take them as advised. 

What is the prevention of scabies? 

Scabies can be prevented and further growth of the mites can be restricted. 

The following preventive measures may help:

1. Make sure to clean the linen, towels, bed sheets,etc. thoroughly. 
2. Always clean the skin folds area properly. Pat them dry. 
3. Avoid physical or close contact with infested people. 
4. Avoid sharing the linen and bedding.
5. Put your linen in sunlight periodically to get rid of any possible bugs or mites. 
6. Restrict your contact with others once you know you've scabies. 
7. Stay away from a person having scabies. 
8. Use hot water to wash the linen of the person with scabies. 
9. Thorough cleaning of the rooms used by a person with scabies. Avoid fumigation and pesticide sprays. Use only disinfectant solutions/liquids. 
10. Clean the used linen and bedding of infested people with hot water and machine dry. 

Scabies is caused by Sarcoptes scaibei, tiny white creamy mites that form burrows under the skin. It can cause extreme itching that goes worse at night. Scabies is contagious and it can be spread by direct skin-to-skin contact with the infested people. Sharing same towels and clothes can increase the risk of spread. Prolonged hours of close stay such as in day cares or nursing homes or any other crowded places may increase the risk of spread of scabies.

Note: This blog post is for educational and informational purpose only. It is not a substitute to any medical advice or treatment. Seek your doctor's help in any case.