scabies
Sign in to saveScabies (, ; also sometimes known as the seven-year itch) is a contagious human skin infestation by the tiny (0.2–0.45 mm) mite Sarcoptes scabiei, variety hominis. The word is from . It is a particular public health problem in crowded settings such as care homes, schools, refugee camps, prisons, and hospitals. The most common symptoms are severe itchiness and a pimple-like rash. Occasionally, tiny burrows may appear on the skin from eggs that are about to hatch. In a first-ever infection, the infected person usually develops symptoms within two to six weeks. During a second infection, sym
AI overview
Scabies is a contagious skin infestation caused by a microscopic mite that burrows into the skin, typically causing severe itching and a pimple-like rash. It spreads easily in crowded environments like schools and hospitals, making it a notable public health concern.
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Key facts
- Medical condition (new).caption
- Magnified view of a burrowing trail of the scabies mite. The scaly patch on the left was caused by scratching and marks the mite's entry point into the skin. The mite has burrowed to the top-right, where it can be seen as a dark spot at the end.
- Medical condition (new).field
- Infectious disease, dermatology
- Medical condition (new).symptoms
- itchiness, pimple-like rash
- Medical condition (new).onset
- 2–6 weeks (first infection), ~1 day (subsequent infections)
- Medical condition (new).causes
- Sarcoptes scabiei mite spread by close contact
- Medical condition (new).risks
- Crowded living conditions (child care facilities, group homes, prisons), lack of access to water, wearing second hand clothing
- Medical condition (new).diagnosis
- Based on symptoms
- Medical condition (new).differential
- seborrheic dermatitis, dermatitis herpetiformis, pediculosis, atopic dermatitis
- Medical condition (new).medication
- permethrin, crotamiton, lindane, ivermectin
- Medical condition (new).frequency
Article
25 sectionsContents
- Signs and symptoms
- Itching
- Rash
- Crusted scabies
- Cause
- Scabies mite
- Transmission
- Pathophysiology
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnosis
- Prevention of passing on scabies to other people
- Management
- Treatment
- Permethrin
- Ivermectin
- Others
- Communities
- Epidemiology
- History
- Scabies in animals
- Society and culture
- Research
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Scabies (, ; also sometimes known as the seven-year itch) is a contagious human skin infestation by the tiny (0.2–0.45 mm) mite Sarcoptes scabiei, variety hominis. The word is from . It is a particular public health problem in crowded settings such as care homes, schools, refugee camps, prisons, and hospitals. The most common symptoms are severe itchiness and a pimple-like rash. Occasionally, tiny burrows may appear on the skin from eggs that are about to hatch. In a first-ever infection, the infected person usually develops symptoms within two to six weeks. During a second infection, symptoms may begin within 24 hours. These symptoms can be present across most of the body or just in certain areas such as the wrists, between fingers, or along the waistline. The head may be affected, but this is typically only in young children. The itch is often worse at night. Scratching may cause skin breakdown and an additional bacterial infection in the skin.
Various names have been given to this condition and the name 'seven year itch' has been recorded in many documents from the 1800s. Although the 1952 play The Seven Year Itch and modern treatment methods have generally changed this name to refer to human relationships, the condition was historically very difficult to treat.