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Scabies

Description

parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host and gets its food from or at the expense of its host.

When a parasitic mite belonging to the family of Sarcoptidae attach to the outer layer of the skin and seep into the skin-- it causes a skin infection which is known as SCABIES.

Causes

Scabies is a highly contagious disease caused by an infestation by the mite called Sarcoptes scabiei which crawls on the skin causing rashes mostly between the fingers, the folds of the wrist, elbow, or knee, around the waistline and navel, on the breasts or genitals, the head, neck, face, palms, and soles in very young children.

Risk factors
  • Sex: More common in men than women
  • Race: More common in whites than in blacks
  • Close skin to skin contact with an infected person
  • Sexual relations with an infected person
  • Low immunity
  • People living in crowded conditions
Symptoms

It can take four to six weeks for the skin to react to the presence of the mite on the skin. The most common symptoms are:

  • Relentless itching, which gets worse at night
  • Tiny red burrows
  • A rash that looks like a pimple
  • Blisters
  • An excessive urge to scratch that leads to sores
  • When female mites enter just beneath the skin a track-like burrow (grayish white raised lines) can be appreciated on the skin.
  • Crusted scabies (also called Norwegian scabies) is an aggressive manifestation of the disease that usually occurs in an immune-compromised patient and malnourished individuals. It involves thousands of mites on a single person and appears as a thick crust full of mites and eggs.
Diagnosis

Your doctor will thoroughly inspect your skin, the appearance of the rash and your description of the itch to diagnose scabies. Sometimes a skin scraping is used to confirm the diagnosis. This involves collecting skin from the affected area and using a microscope to check the sample for mites, eggs, or fecal matter.

Management

Treatment involves:

  • A cream or lotion that is applied to the entire body from the neck down in most cases.
  • In some cases, a doctor may prescribe pills to treat scabies. Treatment takes up to three days, depending on the medication used.
  • To control itching, especially at night, antihistamine pills can help. Hydrocortisone cream may also help, but it can change the appearance of the scabies rash, making the condition harder to diagnose. It's best to use this cream only after your doctor has confirmed the diagnosis.
When to consult a doctor?

A doctor should be consulted if the medications prescribed are not helping in managing the symptoms and if you suspect being in contact with an infected person.

 

Available Medicine for Scabies

Lotrix Cream

Rs.95.45

GlaxoSmithKline