Written by
Læge
Praktiserende læge, ph.d.
Scabies
Scabies is caused by a mite that digs in under the skin. The disease is characterized by a strong, itchy rash, especially between the fingers and around the wrists. Since scabies is contagious, it is often seen in several family members. The entire family must be treated, and the cure must be repeated after 1 week. Although all the mites have died after treatment, it may still itch for up to 3 weeks after treatment.
For some reason, scabies has become frequent again, but the reason is unknown. Scabies can be seen at all ages, but is most common in children and the elderly.
Scabies is induced by a mite that lives in the skin. The pregnant female mite is just under ½ mm long and is barely visible to the naked eye. It digs in beneath the skin. Here, it drills a tunnel where it leaves its stools and lays its eggs. The eggs hatch within a few days and develop, over the next 3 to 4 weeks, into adult mites. Adult mites can live on the skin for 4-5 weeks, and during this time, many female mites are fertilized. And so, it continues until treatment is started.
The scabies mite is usually transmitted by close body contact. Since the mite can survive for up to a day on clothes, furniture, and floors, scabies can also be transmitted from these surfaces.
Two to four weeks after you get a mite on you, it starts to itch. The itch is worse at night, getting worse and worse each day. The mite typically lives between the fingers, the wrists, and the genitals. Where the mites live, the skin is red with small blisters. As it is itching, wounds may occur where you have scratched yourself.
It can be hard to see if you have scabies. Where the female has dug into the skin, one can see (with a magnifying glass and strong light) mite passages. It looks as if someone has drawn nice twisted lines with a pencil on the skin. It is usually not possible to see the actual mite as it lies at the bottom of the mite passage.
If you are sure you have scabies, you can buy an effective over-the-counter remedy at pharmacies. The Nix Cream is the most used remedy and can be bought over the counter. There are no known harmful side effects of using Nix. First, take a bath and dry yourself thoroughly. Then smear the entire body (from the jaw downwards) with a thin layer of lotion. The lotion is washed off with warm water and soap after 8-12 hours. It may be a good idea to start your treatment in the evening, so you sleep while the medicine works. The cure should be repeated after 5-8 days to ensure that all the mites are killed. Even though the cream kills all the mites, itching can continue for 2-3 weeks. There is no indication that the treatment does not work. Such itching is treated with a hormone lotion, which can also be bought over the counter.
Everyone in the family must be treated at the same time. Even if it does not itch on a family member, there may be mites, and thus the risk of being infected again.
Remember, everyone in the family should be treated to times with a one-week interval.
Wash clothes and bed linen at temperatures above 50°C for 10 minutes, and thoroughly clean floors and furniture.
Think about who you have visited in the last 3 weeks, and report that they may have been infected. Also, give notice to the school, kindergarten, or day care centre.
If you suspect scabies but are not completely sure. The doctor can insert a needle down to the bottom of the mite passage. The mite will then cling to the needle, and the doctor can see it in a microscope. Then you know what the itch is due to.
Never necessary.
