Scabies Fact Sheet

 Scabies is a highly contagious skin disease caused by a parasite

The parasite that causes scabies is a mite that burrows under the skin.

Scabies is spread through personal contact

Scabies is usually spread from person to person by close, prolonged physical contact such as touching a person who has scabies or holding hands.  It can also be spread during sexual contact.  Clothes, towels, or bed sheets can spread the scabies mite if the items were recently in contact with a person who has scabies.  The mites will die within 48 hours if they are away from the human body.  Scabies can spread quickly in crowded situations where there is frequent skin-to-skin contact (such as hospitals, nursing homes, and child care centers).  People cannot catch scabies from animals.

 
The most common symptom is a rash that is very itchy, especially at night

The rash can be anywhere on your body but is most common on the hands, breasts, elbows, knees, wrists, armpits, genital area, and waistline.  Often the rash looks like red bumps or tiny blisters, which form a line.  Symptoms begin 2 to 6 weeks after the first exposure to scabies, or 1 to 4 days after re-exposure.  Scratching may cause skin to become infected with bacteria (germs).

See your doctor if you have symptoms of scabies

Your doctor can check to see if your rash is due to scabies.  Scabies is diagnosed by using a microscope to look for the mite in skin scrapings.

Scabies is treatable

Creams or lotions that kill the mite (such as 5% permethrin, lindane, and crotamiton) can be applied to the skin.  Follow your doctor's instructions for treatment.  Itching may continue for up to 1 to 2 weeks after treatment; it does not mean that the treatment did not work or that you have scabies again.  Sometimes, a second course of treatment is necessary.  Clothing and bed linens worn or used in the 48 hours before treatment should be washed and dried on hot cycles or professionally dry cleaned.  There is no need for treatment of rugs or fumigation of the house, other than vacuuming and general cleanliness.

Scabies can be prevented

• Infested persons should be excluded from school or child care until after starting treatment, usually the overnight.
• No one should share clothing, bedding, or other personal articles with an infested person. 
• Clothing that cannot be laundered or dry cleaned should be stored for several days to avoid reinfestation.

All household members and close contacts of a person with scabies should be treated at the same time as the person with scabies.

Q1: What is scabies and what causes it?

Scabies is a contagious skin condition caused by an infestation of the human itch mite, scientifically known as Sarcoptes scabiei. These tiny mites burrow into the skin, leading to intense itching, redness, and a rash. Scabies is primarily spread through close physical contact with an infected person, making it common in crowded living conditions. It can also be contracted through sharing clothes, bedding, or towels with someone who has scabies.

Q2: What are the common symptoms of scabies?

The most common symptoms of scabies include severe itching, particularly at night, and a rash that can be red and inflamed. rash typically appears in the form of small blisters or bumps, often found in skin folds such as between fingers, under the arms, and around the waist. The intense itching is caused by an allergic reaction to the mites and their waste products, which can make the rash even more uncomfortable as individuals frequently scratch the affected areas.

Q3: How is scabies diagnosed?

A diagnosis of scabies is typically made by a healthcare provider through a physical examination of the skin and the evaluation of symptoms. In many cases, the provider may look for the characteristic signs of burrows, rashes, or mites. To confirm the diagnosis, they may also take a skin scraping and examine it under a microscope for the presence of mites, eggs, or fecal matter. Because symptoms can be similar to other skin conditions, a examination is crucial for an accurate diagnosis.

Q4: How is scabies treated?

Treatment for scabies usually involves the application of topical scabicides, which are medications specifically designed to kill the mites and their eggs. Commonly prescribed treatments include permethrin cream or lindane lotion. It’s important to follow the treatment instructions carefully, which often include applying the medication to the entire body from neck down and leaving it on for a specified duration. In addition, it's critical to wash all clothing, bedding, and towels used by an infected person in hot water to prevent re-infestation. In more severe or resistant cases, oral medications may be prescribed.