Professional Documents
Culture Documents
introduction
Mite: Sarcoptes scabiei
scabies
Scabies is a parasitic infection of the skin caused
by the burrowing of the ectoparasitic itch mite
Sarcoptes scabiei.
Mites burrow into the skin where they lay eggs.
The resulting offspring crawl out
onto the skin and make new burrows
Any part of the body may be affected,
and transmission is by skin-to-skin contact
The absorption of mite excrement into skin
capillaries generates a hypersensitivity reaction.
The itching of scabies results from our body's
allergic reaction to the mites, their eggs and their
waste.
Clinical feature
itchy papular, papular crusted, or vesicular
lesions may present.
Classic sites include the interdigital folds, the
wrists and elbows, and around breast nipples
in women
An individual was defined to have scabies if at
least two of the following 3 requirements were
fulfilled:
Presence of one or more typical lesions for longer
than 2 weeks,
pruritus that intensified at night, or at least
one more family member with similar lesions
Complications
Ref: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/scabies
references
1. Feldmeier et. al. 2009. The epidemiology of scabies in an impoverished community in
rural Brazil: Presence and severity of disease are associated with poor living
conditions and illiteracy. J AM ACAD DERMATOL. (6) 436-444.
2. Scott, G. 2008. United Kingdom National Guideline on the Management of
Scabies infestation (2007) .
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-
Borne, and Enteric Diseases (NCZVED).
4. British National Formulary. 50th Edition. 2005.
5. Anderson,P., Knoben, J. & Troutman, W. Handbook of clinical drug data. 10th edition.
Mcgraw-Hill.