Health Services
Self Care

Scabies

Description
Scabies is a parasitic infection of the skin caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. The infection can be transmitted from one person to another through close personal contact. Scabies can also be acquired by sleeping in a bed or sleeping bag used by an infected person or by wearing infested clothes.

Symptoms
Scabies usually causes severe itching caused by the burrowing of the mite, its eggs and its excretory products. Diagnosis is made by finding mites or excretory products in the skin lesions, or the appearance of skin lesions alone. Symptoms can take 4 to 6 weeks after infection to emerge.

Treatment
Elimite 5% cream is the preferred treatment for scabies. After a warm shower, apply a thin layer of the medication (half the contents of a 2 ounce bottle) to all parts of the body from the scalp down. Leave the medication on for 8 to 14 hours, then shower and put on clean clothes and bedding. Further transmission of scabies is unlikely after 24 hours.

Underclothing, bedding, towels, and sleeping bags used recently (in the past 7 to 10 days) should either be dry cleaned or thoroughly washed in hot water and dried at the hottest setting. Rugs, furniture, and bathrooms must be thoroughly cleaned. As an alternative to washing or dry cleaning, clothing, bedding, and towels may simply be stored and not used for a period of 7 to 10 days, since scabies cannot survive away from the human body for more than this time. R & C Spray, a lice control insecticide, is also effective and is available in most stores. Follow the directions carefully.

Any persons with whom an infected person has had recent close physical contact should be treated regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms.

Occasionally, the medication used to eradicate scabies produces an increase of itching. If this occurs, a physician should be consulted. Even after adequate treatment, some itching may persist for several weeks.

More Information/Questions
For more information, Messiah students may call the Health Center at 691-6035.