scabies

scabies

overview

scabies

scabies

Scabies is caused by tiny mites that burrow into your skin.

Scabies is an itchy skin condition caused by a tiny burrowing mite called Sarcoptes scabiei. Severe itching occurs in the area where the mite burrows. The urge to scratch can be particularly strong at night.

Scabies is contagious and can spread quickly through close physical contact in a family, child care group, school class, nursing home or prison. Because scabies is so contagious, doctors often recommend treatment for entire families or contact groups.

Scabies can be easily treated. Medications applied to your skin kill the mites that cause scabies and their eggs. However, you may still have some itching for several weeks after treatment.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of scabies include:

• Juckreiz, oft stark und in der Regel nachts schlimmer
• Dünne, unregelmäßige Höhlenspuren, die aus winzigen Blasen oder Beulen auf Ihrer Haut bestehen

The cavities or marks typically appear in folds of skin. Although almost any part of the body can be affected, scabies is most commonly found in adults and older children:

• Zwischen den Fingern
• In den Achseln
• Um die Taille
• Entlang der Innenseiten der Handgelenke
• An den inneren Ellbogen
• An den Fußsohlen
• Um die Brüste
• Rund um den männlichen Genitalbereich
• Auf dem Gesäß
• Auf den Knien

In infants and small children, the most common sources of infestation usually include:

• Kopfhaut
• Handflächen
• Fußsohlen

If you have ever had scabies, signs and symptoms may develop within a few days of exposure. If you've never had scabies before, it may take up to six weeks for signs and symptoms to appear. You can still spread scabies even if you don't have any signs or symptoms yet.

When to go to the doctor?

Talk to your doctor if you have signs and symptoms that could indicate scabies.

Many skin conditions such as dermatitis or eczema are associated with itching and small bumps on the skin. Your doctor can help you determine the exact cause and ensure you receive the right treatment. Bathing and over-the-counter preparations may relieve the itching, but they will not eliminate scabies.

Causes

The eight-legged mite that causes scabies in humans is microscopic. The female mite burrows just under your skin and creates a tunnel where she lays eggs.

The eggs hatch and the mite larvae work their way to the surface of your skin, where they mature and can spread to other areas of your skin or to other people's skin. The itching of scabies results from your body's allergic reaction to the mites, their eggs, and their waste.

Close physical contact and less frequent sharing of clothing or bedding with an infected person can spread the mites.

Animals and people are all affected by their own species of mites. Each species prefers a particular type of host and does not live long away from that preferred host.

In humans, contact with the animal scabies mite can cause a temporary skin reaction. But people generally cannot develop full-blown scabies from this source, as might occur from contact with the human scabies mite.

Complications

Vigorous scratching can break your skin and cause a secondary bacterial infection such as impetigo. Impetigo is a superficial infection of the skin most commonly caused by staphylococcus (staph) or occasionally streptococcus (streptococcus).

A more severe form of scabies, called crusted scabies, can affect certain high-risk groups, including:

• Menschen mit chronischen Erkrankungen, die das Immunsystem schwächen, wie HIV oder chronische Leukämie
• Menschen, die sehr krank sind, wie Menschen in Krankenhäusern oder Pflegeeinrichtungen
• Ältere Menschen in Pflegeheimen

Crusted scabies, also called Norwegian scabies, tends to make the skin crusty and scaly and affects large areas of the body. It is very contagious and can be difficult to treat.

Typically, someone with scabies will have around 10 to 15 mites. In contrast, someone with crusted scabies may be infested with millions of mites.

prevention

To prevent reinfestation and prevent the mites from spreading to other people, do the following:

• Reinigen Sie alle Kleidungsstücke und Wäsche. Verwenden Sie heißes Seifenwasser, um alle Kleidungsstücke, Handtücher und Bettwäsche zu waschen, die innerhalb von drei Tagen vor Beginn der Behandlung verwendet werden. Mit hoher Hitze trocknen. Chemische Reinigung von Artikeln, die Sie nicht zu Hause waschen können.
• Verhungern Sie die Milben. Erwägen Sie, Gegenstände, die Sie nicht waschen können, in eine versiegelte Plastiktüte zu legen und diese für ein paar Wochen an einem abgelegenen Ort zu lassen, z. B. in Ihrer Garage. Milben sterben nach einigen Tagen ohne Nahrung.

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