Scabies is a contagious skin disease caused by mite. It attacks men, women and children and spreads by direct contact or sharing of clothes. The mites enter the skin and deposit eggs which on maturing produces itchy rash on the skin. Itching at night, rashes in fingers and sores on the skin are the symptoms of scabies. Usually the eggs will stay on the burrows of the skin for 20 days which is the incubation period.
Treatment for scabies can be obtained over the counter medicines. Creams which contain benzyl benzoate like is Permethrin is prescribed for this skin disease. The topical ointment should be applied on the infected part.
Even when the other members of the family do not have symptoms, the cream should be applied, as a precautionary measure. Washing the under garments in hot water will prevent spreading. In severe cases, the doctor will ask you to take oral drugs for killing the mites inside the skin. These creams are very effective and should be rightly followed as prescribed by your doctor.
What Is Scabies?
Scabies is a type of itchy skin disease and is contagious easily spreading from one to the other. It is caused by Sarcopetes scabiei, a tiny mite and hence the name “scabies”. The mite actually lives on the skin laying millions of eggs and reproducing aggravating the condition of itching.
Often the condition becomes worse at night causing intense itching. Scabies can spread easily by mere physical contact. However it can be treated with suitable medications like permithrine cream or lotion and with antihistamines. Strong medications would destroy the eggs of the mites but you may continue to have itching for few weeks.
Each year around 300 million fresh cases of scabies are reported in the world. Often it spreads by using the clothing or sharing bedding of infested person.
Scabies Symptoms
Characteristic symptom of scabies infection is persistent itching of the skin which gets worse at night. It can cause tiny bumps on the skin showing thin burrowing tracks of the mite. These tracks can be seen on close observation in the folds of the skin as raised lines.