Signs of Scabies

Scabies

Description

A contagious skin disease caused by a small mite called Sarcoptes scabiei. The burrowing of the mite causes intense itching that is worse at night. The infection can be easily spread through close contact amogst families, schools, child care centers or nursing homes.

Symptoms

Itense itching that is worse at night. Thin pencil mark lines (burrows) that appear between fingers, in arm pits, at the waist, on inner elbows, on bottom of feet, around wrists, on buttocks, on shoulders, on knees, and around breasts.

Tests

A history and physical exam will be performed. The diagnosis may be made by the appearance of the rash. The provider may take a skin scraping from a burrow and look for the mite or eggs using a microscope.

Treatment

Treatment involves using a prescription medicated cream. The two most common are permethrin (Elimite, Acticin) and crotamiton (Eurax). For difficult cases or for those with a weakened immune system the oral medication ivermectin (Stromectol) may be used. Despite treatment itching may continue for weeks and antihistamines may be prescribed.