 |
 |
|
|
|
|
DESCRIPTION
Scabies is a disease caused by mites (Sarcoptes scabiei) that burrows and lives under the skin, also known as the itch mite, with a characteristic pattern of distribution. The microscopic mite that causes scabies can barely be seen by the human eye. It is a tiny, eight-legged creature with a round body. This tiny mite has infested humans for at least 2,500 years. It is often hard to detect. Dermatologists estimate that more than 300 million cases of scabies occur worldwide every year. The condition can strike anyone of any race or age, regardless of personal hygiene. But with current detection methods and treatments, scabies need not cause more than a temporary distress. They are more difficult to diagnose than Lice or Crabs because they cause skin irritations that resemble eczema, allergies, or even poison ivy. Scabies is contagious from person to person (by shared clothing or bed linen) and from one site to another in the same person. This could be a child, a friend, or another family member. Scabies is not a condition only of low-income families, neglected children, or poor hygiene. Although more prominent in crowded living conditions, and poor hygiene - everyone is susceptible. They usually infect the skin of the finger webs, and folds under the arms, breasts, elbows, genitals and buttocks.
FREQUENT SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Scabies is a parasitic infection that causes a persistent, itchy rash. It is caused by a tiny mite that burrows into the top layer of the skin to lay its eggs. This results in groups of small red lumps. When the rash first appears, you may see fine, wavy lines emanating from some of the lumps if you look closely. The skin may then become dry and scaly, and the itching can be intense, especially at night. Scratching can set the stage for a bacterial infection as well.
Small, incredibly intensely itchy blisters, red lesions, or rash (usually in a thin line), resembling hives, tiny bites, or pimples are the early symptoms. In more advanced cases, the skin may be crusty or scaly.
Scabies prefers warmer sites on the skin and produce raised bumps or ridges on the skin between fingers, under the breasts, around the waist or belt line, wrists, genitals (on the penis), or buttocks or in several other parts of the body such as on the elbows, navel, nipples, and lower abdomen. Mites also tend to hide in, or on, the skin under rings, bracelets or watchbands, or under the nails. In children, the infestation may involve the entire body, including the palms, soles, and scalp. The face and scalp are rarely affected.
A child infested with scabies may be tired and irritable as a result of loss of sleep from itching or scratching all night long.
The blisters break easily when scratched. Broken blisters leave scratch marks and thickened skin crisscrossed by grooves and scaling.
Lesions as thin as pencil lead that mark where the scabies mites have burrowed into the skin; visible in only about 25 percent of cases.
Itching is the most common symptom of scabies and is most severe at night.
Scabs that tend to form over scratched areas.
Since the distinguishing burrow lines show in only about 25 percent of infected people, you may have to rely on other signals to determine whether you have been infested. If you find yourself overcome with an overwhelming need to scratch particular areas of your body, especially at night, check with your health care provider. People with flaking skin disorders, such as eczema and psoriasis, need to be especially vigilant. Because they already tend to have itchy, red skin, they may not notice symptoms until the infestation is widespread.
CRUSTED SCABIES:
Crusted scabies is a form of the disease in which the symptoms are far more severe than usual. Large areas of the body, including hands and feet, may be scaly and crusted. These crusts hide thousands of live mites and their eggs, making treatment difficult because medications applied directly to the skin may not be able to penetrate the thickened skin. This type of scabies occurs mostly among the elderly, in some AIDS patients, or in people whose immunity is decreased. These cases are extremely infectious.
CAUSES
Attracted to warmth and odor, the female mite burrows into deep skin layers, where the female mite deposits eggs and produces feces secretions that cause allergic reactions. The larvae, or newly hatched mites, travel to the skin surface, lying in shallow pockets where they will develop into adult mites. Eggs mature into adult mites in 3 weeks. Mites are 0.1 mm in diameter and can only be seen under a microscope. Scratching collects mites and eggs under the fingernails, so they spread to other parts of the body. If the mite is scratched off the skin, it can live in bedding up to 24 hours. It may be up to a month before a newly infested person will notice the itching, especially in people with good hygiene and who bathe regularly. The eggs and feces of the scabies will cause tremendous irritation and itching as well.
RISK INCREASES WITH
Scabies is most common in those who have close physical contact with others, particularly children, mothers of young children, and elderly people in nursing homes. Studies of families have shown that children under two years of age are most at risk, followed by mothers and older female siblings, and then by other family members who have frequent and close physical contact.
Closed environments such as nursing homes and child-care centers provide ideal breeding grounds for the parasite, which needs a human host to survive. An estimated 300 million new cases spring up each year worldwide. The number of cases in the United States is currently on the rise, probably because more children under the age of 5 are being cared for in day-care centers. Among the elderly, scabies among resident patients of nursing homes and extended care facilities has become a common problem due to delayed diagnosis since it can often be mistaken for other skin conditions. The delay allows time for scabies to spread to nursing home staff and other residents. Because residents require assistance in daily living activities, this intimate exposure provides an opportunity for the scabies mite to spread.
Crowded or unsanitary living conditions are conducive to the spread of scabies.
Contact with an infested person (usually by physical contact, but mites can pass by just standing close to an infected person).
You can get scabies through sexual contact and with infested clothing, bedding, towels, or even furniture.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
The best way to prevent getting scabies is to avoid contact with the mite. For some people, especially those who work in hospitals, day care centers, and other crowded conditions, that may be difficult. If you contract the parasite, take basic steps to avoid reinfection and infecting others.
Apply a pediculicide from the neck down and leave it on for at least 8 hours. Make sure anyone who has had physical contact with you also applies it, even if they do not show symptoms.
Avoid contact with persons or linen, furniture, and clothing that you suspect may be infected with scabies. Wash all tables, chairs, floors, and vacuum all rugs.
Avoid sexual relations with persons suspected of being infested with scabies.
Maintain personal cleanliness: 1. Bathe daily, or at least 2 or 3 times a week.
2. Wash hands before eating.
3. Launder clothes and linen often in hot water. Store stuffed animals and other hard-to-wash items in bags for at least a week.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
Itching usually disappears quickly, and evidence of the disease is gone in 1 to 2 weeks with treatment. In 20 percent of cases, re-treatment is necessary in 20 days. If skin irritation persists longer than this, oral antihistamines or topical steroids may be necessary to break the itch-scratch cycle.
Scabies may occur in a community in a 7-year cycle (the seven-year itch).
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS
Secondary bacterial infection of mite-infested areas of inflammation. This is due to scratching. In many cases, children are treated because of infected skin lesions rather than for the scabies itself. Although treatment of bacterial infections sometimes provides relief, recurrence is almost certain if the scabies infection is not treated.
TREATMENT
GENERAL MEASURES
See a dermatologist as soon as possible to obtain diagnosis and begin treatment. Keep in mind, although you may be disturbed at the thought of bugs, scabies is no reflection on your personal cleanliness (hygiene).
A thorough head-to-toe examination in good lighting, with careful attention to skin crevices, will usually be recommended and performed by a dermatologist. Many cases of scabies can be diagnosed by dermatologist without special tests. Diagnosis is confirmed by performing a painless test that involves applying a drop of oil to the suspected lesion. The site is then scraped, discovering the mite, lifting it from its barrow and transferred to a glass slide which is examined and identified under a microscope. A diagnosis is made by finding scabies mites or their eggs.
The critical factor in the treatment of scabies is getting rid of the mite. Each individual in the family or group, whether itching or not, should be treated. The entire community at risk must be treated to stop an epidemic of scabies. In a family, all members should be treated at the same time, as well as others who are in close contact, such as close friends, and sometimes day care or school classmates. Scabies in institutions can be kept to manageable levels by routinely examining patients and conducting thorough skin exams of all new residents. The most successful, cost-effective approach is to treat all patients and health care personnel at the same time. The treatment of all exposed individuals whether obviously infested or not, is important. Incubation time is 6-8 weeks so symptoms may not show up for a while. If you do not treat everyone, it is as if you were never treated.
Treatment is with topical medication. Scabies is usually easy and quick to treat with prescription drugs. A topical scabicide called lindane (gamma benzene hexachloride) was once considered a standard treatment for scabies. In recent years, however, it has largely been replaced by permethrin, which is believed to be safer and cause fewer side effects. Scabicides are not recommended for children under the age of 6 or for pregnant women. In such cases, a milder sulfur solution is usually recommended. A 5% permethrin cream is applied to the skin from head to toe at bedtime, and washed off the next morning. Dermatologists recommend that the cream be applied to cool, dry skin, over the entire body (including the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, groin, under finger nails, and the scalp in small children) and left on 8 to 14 hours. A second treatment one week later may be recommended for infants with scabies of the palms and soles, or if new lesions appear after treatment. The only reported side effect of 5 percent permethrin cream is a mild, temporary burning and stinging, particularly in bad cases of scabies. All lesions should be healed within 4 weeks after treatment. If an infected person continues to have trouble, he or she may be getting re-infested and require further evaluation and treatment by a dermatologist.
Another effective prescription treatment is 1 percent lindane lotion. Also an overnight treatment, lindane is effective after 1 to 2 doses. People using lindane are instructed to wash the lotion off after 8 to 12 hours, not to exceed recommended doses, and to avoid a second treatment within a 7 day period. Lindane should not be used on infants, small children, pregnant or nursing women, or people with seizures or other neurological diseases.
Sulfur ointment and Crotamiton cream are other special care treatment options.
Carefully wash all clothes, bedding and toys used prior to or during treatment. You don't need to clean furniture or floor with special care. Carpets or upholstery do not need to be treated, though some people will spray heavily on traffic areas. Dry clean any non-washable items. The mite is attracted to scent. Any clean clothes hanging in the closet or folded in the drawers are okay. Do any laundry that has accumulated. Items you do not wish to wash may be placed in the dryer on the hot cycle for 30 minutes. Rid or R&C spray may be used on items not laundered such as belts, shoes, purses, etc. Items may also be placed in plastic bags and placed in a garage or other storage area away from living area for a period of 2 weeks. If the mites do not get a meal within one week, they die. Vacuum the entire house and discard the bag, just to be on the safe site.
To get rid of scabies, those people who are infected and everyone they come in contact with must be treated at the same time. Since the mites can survive for two or three days on almost any surface, including tables and countertops, toys and linens, all areas must be thoroughly vacuumed and washed. Items that may be difficult to clean, such as stuffed animals, should be bagged and stored for a week.
A bath with soap and hot water will wash away some of the mites and their debris, but this step alone will not get rid of all the parasites. Most health care providers prescribe a pediculicide, which you apply to your skin from the neck down, including your hands. If you wash your hands after application, you will need to reapply the medication to your hands again. You may need some assistance with this treatment since you must be certain to cover all areas. Leave the lotion on the skin for 8 to 12 hours and then wash it off. Do not reapply the lotion without your health care provider's approval.
After you rid your skin of mites, you can take an antihistamine for the itch (which can still rage for days after treatment because of feces left in the burrows) and apply corticosteroid cream to reduce inflammation. Itching may persist for 3 or more weeks after successful eradication of the mite.
Don't attempt to treat scabies with unproven home remedies. Scrubbing with laundry detergent or hard soaps, or applying kerosene will only make the condition much worse.
Don't use steroids or any other creams unless prescribed by your dermatologist.
Don't repeat the treatment more than twice unless specifically instructed by a dermatologist.
MEDICATION
An insecticide lotion such as permethrin, lindane, crotamiton, or 5 percent sulfur ointment will usually be prescribed. Infants and pregnant women may need a pediculicide that is less toxic than that prescribed for other family members. Lindane 1 percent is about the most common treatment. For pregnant women, crotamiton (Eurax) is prescribed.
- Bathe thoroughly before applying the prescribed medicine.
- Apply from the neck down, and cover the entire body. If you wash your hands after application, you need to reapply the medication to your hands again.
- Wait 15 minutes before dressing.
- Leave medication on the skin for 2 hours before bathing or as instructed by your dermatologist.
- Your family or other close contacts should be treated at the same time.
- You may need to repeat in 1 week.
Antihistamines may be prescribed to relieve itching, which can last for weeks.
Ivermectin is an oral medication which may be prescribed for certain cases of scabies, especially the difficult to treat crusted form. Like lindane, it is not for use by infants or pregnant women.
ACTIVITY
Scabies are extremely contagious. The are passed by skin to skin contact. Until live mites and their eggs are eradicated, infested persons should be excluded from day care, school and other social activities to limit the chance of further infestation. This includes moderately isolating the person from physical contact with humans or pets for 24 hours following application of treatment. The mite-infested person or child should wear long hair up, preferably in braids if possible, to avoid spreading the mites to furniture, clothing and others. Scabies can be obtained at any time, with numerous reoccurrence, regardless of age or gender. Scabies are more prevalent for children under the age of 15 years and are often the first ones in a family to contract it.
People should not share clothing, hats, combs or bed sheets with a person infested with scabies. Regularly inspect for parasitic infestations in elementary school children and in individuals confined to nursing homes or other institutions where crowding may be a problem. Changing your life style can effect your ability to resist parasitic infections like scabies and lice, like any parasite, they prey on the weak and infirm. Keep your family's immune system healthy by using non-toxic cleaning products and nutritional supplementation.
Special soaps, creams and lotions can help kill scabies, but this is not enough to completely rid a child or family of scabies infestation. All surroundings must sanitized. Most chemical treatments for killing parasites like scabies and lice contain potent pesticides and insecticides known as pediculicides. These pediculicides have been known to cause immune suppression, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, circulatory collapse behavioral changes, neuromuscular damage, chronic skin eruptions, liver damage, asthma, respiratory failure, stillbirths, birth defects, cancer and even death.
Unfortunately, many uninformed parents use treatments containing pesticides and tend to use more, leave them on for longer periods of time, or apply them more often, increasing the risk of dangerous side affects. Follow product directions carefully or those of you health care provider.
If infestation was caused by sexual encounter with an infected individual, do not have physical/sexual contact with this person until both of you have been successfully treated for infestation. This will reduce the risk of re-infestation.
DIET
No special diet. However, a well-balanced nutritious diet should be followed to help in healing. Supplements can be taken to help healing and boost the immune system.
SCABIES SUPPLEMENTAL PRODUCTS
Information, products and supplements for scabies, a very contagious skin condition caused by the Human Itch Mite.
SCABIES -BENEFICIAL DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS
Garlic has anti-parasitic and antibiotic properties.
Primrose Oil helps heal most skin disorders.
Vitamin A is necessary for healing and for reconstructing new skin tissue. Kelp supplies balanced minerals.
Zinc helps repair tissues and enhances immune response.
Colloidal Silver prevents secondary infection.
Vitamin E promotes healing.
Aloe Vera helps soothe and heal the skin. It has excellent healing properties and is applied topically to affected area.
Tea Tree Oil and Golden Seal fights infection when used topically. Goldenseal can also be taken internally to bolster the immune system. Do not take goldenseal internally on a daily basis for more than one week at a time, as it may disturb normal intestinal flora. Do not use it during pregnancy, and use it with caution if you are allergic to ragweed.
Black Walnut and Wormwood fight parasitic infections.
Comfrey and Calendula salve soothes itch and irritation. Balsam of Peru oil can be combined with goldenseal and/or tea tree oil and be applied topically to fight the infection.
To promote healing, eat plenty of foods high in zinc, such as soybeans, sunflower seeds, wheat bran, whole-grain products, yeast, and blackstrap molasses. Do not drink soft drinks or alcoholic beverages. Consume no sugar, chocolate, or junk foods. Avoid fried foods and all animal products. Use cold-pressed vegetable oils only.
Diet alone cannot cure scabies. To get rid of the mites that cause scabies, apply permethrin cream (Elemite) or 25 percent benzlbenzoate topically to the entire body from the neck down, as directed on the label or prescribed by your health care provider. Follow directions for washing bedding and clothing. Rid spray, which contains permethrin, may be recommended for treating infested clothes and bedding. Practice scrupulous personal hygiene. Avoid contact with infested persons and their clothing.
NUTRITIONAL & HOLISTIC RECOMMENDATIONS
Nutrients Supplement Suggested Dosage Comments Very Important Garlic (Kyolic) 2 capsules 3 times daily, with meals. Has anti-parasitic and antibiotic properties. Fresh garlic can be used in place of garlic supplements. 2-3 fresh cloves of garlic 3 times daily. Primrose Oil 1,000 mg 3 times daily. A good healer for most skin disorders. Vitamin A 25,000 IU daily for 3 months, then reduce to 15,000 IU daily. If you are pregnant, do not exceed 10,000 IU daily. Necessary for healing and for construction of new skin tissue. Important Kelp 1,000-1,500 mg daily. Supplies balanced minerals. Zinc 50 mg daily. Do not exceed a total if 100 mg daily from all supplements. For tissue repair. Enhances immune response. Use zinc gluconate lozenges or zinc methionate (OptiZinc) for best absorption. Helpful Aloe vera As directed on label. Apply gel topically to affected area. Has excellent healing properties. Colloidal silver Apply topically as directed on label. To prevent secondary infection. Vitamin E 600 IU daily. Promotes healing.
Comfrey Leaf Powder, 100% Organic - 4 oz. Bulk
One of the most well-known healing plants, especially for its ability to heal tissue and bone.Scabies & Parasites Formula Tincture, 100% Organic - 2 fl. oz.
The Scabies and Parasites Tincture can be used for both internal and external use to help rid the body of parasites, scabies, and ringworm.Nature's Antiseptics Tea Tree Oil and Grapefruit Seed Extract - CJ Puotinen - paperback
Nature's Warfare, this book covers tea tree oil and grapefruit see extract use in safely destroying viruses, bacteria, molds, yeasts and parasites that want to live in us and on us.Ashwagandha Root Tincture, 100% Organic - 2 fl. oz.
Ashwagandha root is said to improve physical energy, strengthen immunity and increase sexual activity.Odorless Garlic Supplement, NOW Foods 2500mg - 250 Softgels
Odorless Garlic supplement is extracted from Allum sativum and is a specially made Japanese product. Our Odorless Garlic supplement is aged 18 months and concentrated in a 100:1 extract to yield high amounts of Scordiin, a unique sulfur compound which may be responsible for many of garlic's renowned benefits.Vitamin A, 10,000 IU, 100% Natural - 100 Softgels
Nature's Way Vitamin A is an important nutrient in maintaining cell membrane integrity. It also plays an important role in proper bone formation, reproduction and vision.Kelp Seaweed Norwegian, NOW Foods 100% Natural acophyllum nodosum, 550mg - 250 Caps
Norwegian Kelp seaweed contains nearly thirty minerals which nourish the glands, especially the thyroid and pituitary. Kelp, also known as seaweed, grows in the rich ocean beds, far below surface pollution levels.Zinc (Chelated), 100% Natural, Nature's Way 30mg - 100 Caps
Zinc is present in all tissues, organs and secretions of the body. Nature's Way chelated zinc is 100% natural chelated with an advanced amino acid complex for superior absorption.Colloidal Silver Salve, SilvaSolution - 2 oz.
SilvaSolution Colloidal Silver Salve now contains added homeopathics that add a benefit that will enhance the SilvaSolutions effectiveness.Vitamin E (as d-alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), 100% Natural, NOW Foods 400 IU - 250 Softgels
Vitamin E is a major antioxidant and the primary defense against lipid peroxidation. It is particularly important in protecting the body's cells from free radical/oxidative damage.Aloe Vera Whole Leaf Juice, 99.7% Pure, Certified Organic, Nature's Way - 1 Liter (33.8 fl.oz.)
Nature's Way Aloe Vera Whole Leaf Juice offers you the rich benefits of the most potent part of the aloe plant.MSM Lotion (Methylsulfonylmethane) (15%) - 8 fl. oz.
MSM Lotion contains methylsulfonylmethane, a form of sulfur, which may be helpful in treating skin disorders including acne, psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, dandruff, scabies, diaper rash, and certain fungal infections.Hulda Clark's Parasite Cleansing Protocol, 20 Day Kit, Parasite Cleansing Program with Black Walnut Green-Hull, 300mg - 50 Caps
This is a complete Parasite Removal kit with Black Walnut Green Hull Capsules, Wormwood Capsules, Clove Capsules and a Complete Guide on Parasite Removal for Adult, Children and Pet Program.Hulda Clark's Parasite Cleansing Protocol, 20 Day Kit, Parasite Cleansing Program with Black Walnut Green-Hull Tincture - 1 fl. oz.
This is a complete Parasite Removal kit with Black Walnut Green Hull Tincture, Wormwood Capsules, Clove Capsules and a Complete Guide on Parasite Removal for Adult, Children and Pet Program.Calendula Cream Nelsons Bach - 30g/1oz., Organic
Nelsons Bach Calendula cream is a soothing multi-purpose skin cream, specially prepared from the Calendula which offers soothing relief for rough, dry, irritated or chapped skin.Comfrey Leaf Ointment Nature's Way - 2 oz.
Comfrey Ointment has long been a favorite for herbalists in its topical applications. Traditionally, it is used in the relief of pain from minor burns, diaper rash, abrasions, cuts and stings.Elecampane Root Tincture, 100% Organic - 2 fl. oz.
Today used primarily for respiratory ailments such as coughs, asthma and bronchitis.Momordica Tincture, 100% Organic - 2 fl. oz.
It has been suggested that Bitter Melon, Momordica, has anti-tumor and antiviral actions. MAP 30 is a protein found in Bitter Melon that is believed to have multiple functions that could be beneficial in treating HIV infection.
NOTIFY YOUR MIDWIFE OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IF...
You or a family member has symptoms of scabies. See a dermatologist in addition to your primary health care provider. Both the infestations and the treatments irritate the skin so it may be recommended to have soothing lotions on hand to apply after treatment.
After treatment, the lesions show signs of infection (redness, pus, swelling or pain).
New, unexplained symptoms develop. Drugs used in treatment may produce side effects.
HELPFUL PRODUCTS & INFORMATION
Mountain Rose Bulk Herbs
Mountain Rose Aromatherapy Oils
Click Here To Visit Herbal Remedies Product Page
MoonDragon's Obgyn Information: Lice, Mites, Crabs, & Scabies
