Scabies, typically called the seven-year itch, is an infectious, itchy skin problem. It is caused by a mite referred to as Sarcoptes scabiei, a really tiny and almost invisible parasite with eight legs, that makes its way under a patient’s skin and creates acute allergic itching. It is the female mites which attack humans; they are typically 0,3 mm to 0,4 mm small while their male versions are about half the length.
With the help of a magnifying glass or a microscope, you can easily detect the presence of mites. Although mites can survive in temperatures below 20 degrees C, they cannot move in such conditions. They also cannot fly or jump, thus, they just crawl. As they try to lay eggs, they suck the host’s blood and flesh, causing a crawling sensation which can be painful and disturbing.
Skin-to-skin contact can spread scabies. Scabies is spread, though, via really close contact between persons, so it can’t be contracted by hanging one’s jacket next to one belonging to someone with scabies, or by simply shaking hands. One form of skin-to-skin contact that could transmit the disease is through sexual physical contact. Scabies has already been considered as a sexually transmitted disease as it is common among sexually active young people.
The parts of the body where scabies can be found are on your knees, waist, wrists, buttocks, feet genital area, area around nipples, back of the elbows, and between your fingers. Scabies appear on the head, face, neck, palms and soles of the feet of infants and young children. One’s daily routine can be inconvenienced with mites so get rid of them quickly.
The use of scabicide drugs is the most convenient method for scabies treatment. Scabies treatment involves the use of permethrin and ivermectin. Permethrin is said to be the most efficient scabies treatment; it is applied from the neck down and washed off after 8 to 14 hours. On the other hand, ivermectin is an oral anti-parasitic medication that is the recommendable treatment for crusted scabies.
Other scabies treatments include lindane, crotamiton, sulfur preparations and antihistamines. Lindane is like permethrin, which is applied in the same manner, however, it can cause seizure if it is applied in a very irritated or wet skin. Although you can treat scabies in the most traditional way by using a cream ( sulfur mixed in petrolatum ), try using cortamiton, because it is both a lotion and a cream. Antihistamines just relieves the itching.
These treatments would be ineffective if only one person is treated, as every infected person in the community should be treated to avoid re-infection. It is also important to disinfect household items, such as, linens, bedclothes, wardrobe, furniture, rugs, etc. as the mites die quickly without human hosts.
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