ScabiesAmy Weyer

Background Information

Scabies is a skin disease caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei

More than 300 million cases occur worldwide every year

It is also known as the human itch mite or the scabies itch mite

Taxonomy

Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Arthropoda Class- Arachnida Order- Acarina Family- Sarcoptidae Genus- Sarcoptes Species- scabiei

Geographic RangeWorldwideAffects all socioeconomic classes in all climates

Host

Definitive Host: Humans (host specific)

Intermediate Host: none

Morphology

Adults: 8 legs, Round body, Females are larger than males (<0.5 mm in length)

Larvae: 6 legs Eggs: oval,(0.1-0.15 mm in length)

Life Cycle

Symptoms

Itching (usually worse at night) Tracks of small blisters or red bumps on

skin Crusty or scaly skin which is called

crusted scabies (more severe)

Symptoms cont.

The itchy bumps and blisters usually occur in the folds of the skin:

Armpits Under nails Male genital area Belt line Between fingers Inner thighs

Diagosis

Examination of skin for mite burrows Skin scraping to look for mites or eggs

under the microscope

Treatment

Permethrin cream (5%) Crotamiton and Ivermectin are

alternatives All clothes and bedding used by an

infested person should be washed in hot water and dried in a hot dryer

Controls

Don’t share personal items such as combs, clothes, towels, bedding

Change clothing regularly Wash bedding regularly

References

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/scabies/DS00451/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs

http://www.herpes-coldsores.com/std/scabies.htm#Prevention

http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/dpdx/html/scabies.htm

http://www.stanford.edu/class/humbio103/ParaSites2004/Scabies/Scabies%20Home.htm

Review

What is the geographic range? How is it transmitted between humans? How is it diagnosed? What is the treatment? What is one control method?