It is an itchy condition of the skin which is caused by Sarcoptes scabiei (a tiny mite). It is a contagious disease. The mite burrows into the skin and lays egg there. A hardly visible zigzag blister marks the trail of the insect when the mite lays egg. It results in intense itching at night and a red rash is formed in the affected area. It most commonly occurs on the sides of the fingers, on the back of the hands, between the fingers, heels, wrists, armpit, around the waist and inner thighs. If left untreated the mite continues to lay egg for around five weeks. After that the eggs hatch and the mites repeat the cycle all over again. The greatest problem faced with scabies is that it can get misdiagnosed. It gets spread by personal contact and is generally found where people are crowded together or have frequent contact and it commonly occurs among roommates, children, families and sexual partners. Prompt treatment is necessary for removal of this disease. When a person gets exposed to scabies, it takes four to six weeks for the rash to appear. It is a common disease which affects children of all races and social classes.

Cause

It is caused by a mite called Sarcoptes scabiei which burrows under the skin but the itch and rash is more widespread as compared to the location of the mites. Close contact can result in the passing of the mite and it commonly starts at the wrist after having being picked up through holding hands.

Symptoms

The mite burrows into the skin, generally around the feet, hands and male genitalia. It does not generally occur around the head and neck but it may affect the infants in this case. The itching is caused due to an allergic reaction to the mites and symptoms include red rashes with raised spots. The itch worsens at night and it might affect more than one member of the family.

Treatment

The treatment for scabies involves application of 5% permethrin cream or lotion on the affected area. The lotion is left on the affected area for eight to fourteen hours and is then washed off and a second treatment might be required a week later. All the close contacts are required to be treated at the same time.

As the mite survives for 48 to 72 hours on bedding, clothing and towels, therefore they should be washed in hot water and dried in a hot dryer.