Scabies Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Have you ever heard of scabies? This disease caused by mites is usually experienced by a number of pets.
However, did you know that scabies can also be experienced by humans? What does scabies look like in humans?
Scabies or scabies is a condition that causes itching on the skin. The culprit is a mite, called Sarcoptes scabies, burrowing into the skin.
The presence of these mites causes intense itching in the area around the excavation.
The desire to scratch is usually felt to increase, especially at night.
The following is a complete explanation of what scabies is , including its causes, symptoms, and how to treat it.
Scabies Symptoms
Common signs and symptoms of scabies can include:
- Itching, which is often intense and generally worse at night
- Thin and irregular scars, which generally take the form of cuts or bumps on the skin.
- Digging generally occurs in the area of skin folds.
Although almost any part of the body can be affected, in adults and older children, scabies is most commonly found on:
- area between the fingers
- armpit
- around the waist
- the inside of the wrist
- inner elbow
- sole
- around the breast
- around the male genitalia
- butt
- knee
- back crotch
Meanwhile, in infants and younger children, infection can appear in:
- head
- face
- neck
- Palm
- sole
In individuals who have had scabies before, signs and symptoms may appear within days of exposure to the germs.
However, in individuals who have never experienced scabies, symptoms can have a lag of about six weeks before signs and symptoms begin to appear.
It is important to know, scabies can be transmitted from one individual to another even though they have not experienced certain signs or symptoms.
Scabies Reason
As already mentioned, Sarcoptes scabiei is the cause of scabies.
This mite belongs to the hominins variety, which belongs to the Arachnida class, the Acarina subclass, the Astigmata order, and the Sarcoptidae family.
The female mite burrows under the skin and leaves eggs there.
As the eggs hatch, the mite larvae begin to move on to the outermost layers of the skin.
The larvae mature and spread to other areas of the patient’s skin or other individuals.
Female mites live for 30-60 days in the “tunnels”. During that time, the mite continues to expand its tunnel.
Itching that occurs in scabies is an allergic reaction from the body to the mites, eggs, and their droppings.
Closer and less frequent physical contact and sharing clothing or bedding with infected individuals can lead to mite transmission.
High-risk factors for transmission of scabies occur in:
- Group living environment. The high density of occupants, interaction, and close physical contact will facilitate the transmission of scabies
For example, in orphanages, nursing homes, dormitories, or refugee camps
- People who are sexually active
- Limited clean water and poor hygiene behavior
- Patients with low immunity, for example in HIV
Scabies Diagnosis
The diagnosis of scabies can be determined from a detailed medical interview, direct physical examination, and supporting examinations if needed.
The diagnosis of scabies can be established by the presence of 2 of 4 cardinal signs (main signs), namely:
- Symptoms of itching at night (nocturnal pruritus), caused by higher activity of the scabies mite in hotter and more humid temperatures.
- The symptoms are the same in one group of humans. This disease attacks groups of people who live close together, such as families, villages, orphanages, or Islamic boarding schools.
- Formation of tunnels or cuniculus in predilection sites, tunnels in the form of straight lines or winding, averaging 2 cm in length, white or grayish.
- Predilection in the thin stratum corneum, namely: between the fingers, volar part of the wrist, outer part of the elbow, anterior part of the axillary fold, umbilicus, buttocks, lower abdomen, areola mammae in women and external genitalia in men.
- Sarcoptes scabies mites found, one or more life stages can be found.
Scabies Treatment
The way to treat scabies is to eliminate the investment with medication. Several types of creams and lotions can be used according to a doctor’s prescription.
Treatment is generally applied to the entire body from the neck down and left for at least eight hours.
Further treatment may be needed if there are new digs or rashes.
Because scabies can spread easily, doctors may recommend treatment for every family member or other individual with close contact, even if they don’t show signs of infection.
Types of treatment that are generally prescribed can be in the form of creams, lotions, or oral medications if individuals experience immune system disorders or crusted scabies.
Although treatment can kill the mites, itching can persist for up to several weeks.
Prevention
To prevent recurrent scabies infection and transmission to others, the following steps can be taken:
- Clean all clothes and cloths used.
Use warm water and soap to wash all clothes, towels and bed sheets used for three days before starting treatment.
Dry at high temperature. For those that cannot be washed at home, use the laundry facilities.
- For items that cannot be washed, put them in a covered plastic bag and put them in an undisturbed place for about two weeks.
Mites will be killed if they do not get food for several days.
Scabies Complications
There are several risks of scabies complications that are not treated or are handled too late. Here’s an explanation.
1. Secondary Infection
Epidermal damage that occurs in scabies infection facilitates infection with Streptococcus pyogenes ( Group A Streptococcus [GAS]) or Staphylococcus aureus.
Both can cause local tissue infections, such as impetigo, cellulitis, and abscesses and can spread systemically via the blood and lymphatics.
Especially in crusted scabies, lymphadenitis and septicemia can occur.
Skin infections in GAS can cause late complications in the form of post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis which can develop into chronic kidney disorders.
2. Norwegian Scabies
Norwegian scabies or crusted scabies occurs over large areas of the body. Usually, a person with scabies has around 10-15 mites.
Conversely, a person with crusted scabies can be infested with millions of mites.