Scabies

Scabies Slideshow

• Scabies Overview
• Scabies Causes
• Scabies Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Scabies Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Medications
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Pictures
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Pictures of Scabies - Slideshow
• Related Scabies articles:
  

Scabies Overview

Scabies is a very contagious skin condition that is caused by a mite. The mite cannot live more than three days without a human host, but it can survive up to a month when living on a human. The mite also lays eggs in human skin, which hatch and grow into adult mites. This means that symptoms of the condition can last for months or even years.

The rash caused by scabies is extremely itchy and is sometimes called "the seven-year itch." The rash can be subtle, and sometimes scabies is hard to diagnose. The mite is spread from person to person by close contact. Animals can harbor a similar mite, but when the animal mite is passed to people, it cannot reproduce and dies within a few days.

Scabies affects everyone regardless of age, gender, race, social class, or personal-hygiene habits. However, it is most common among household members and sexual partners of affected individuals. Scabies is also common in congested areas such as nursing homes and hospitals where it can spread widely. In people who have poor immune systems or who are malnourished, scabies can cause a syndrome called "crusted scabies" or "Norwegian scabies," which causes skin thickening and a scaly rash. Scabies has no relation to lice, although the treatment is sometimes the same.