Scabies is a skin condition characterized by severe itchiness and tiny bumps in a track-like formation. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), a tiny mite called Sarcoptes scabiei causes this condition annually in 300 million people worldwide.
Location
Scabies can affect any part of the body, but the Mayo Clinic states it is mostly found between fingers, around the waist, on the buttocks and on the knees.
Population
According to AAD, the people most at risk for scabies include children, mothers, sexually active adults and the elderly.
Cause
According to the Mayo Clinic, the Sarcopteis scabiei mite burrows into the skin and leaves microscopic eggs. The itching is an allergic response to the mite and eggs.
Treatment
According to the AAD, treatment consists of applying creams and ointments, such as permethrin cream or lindane lotion, onto the affected skin. Ivermictin is an oral medication used to treat severe scabies.
Prevention
To prevent scabies from spreading to other people, clean clothes and bedsheets in hot water. The Mayo Clinic says if you are unable to wash any items, contain them in a plastic bag for a week to starve the mites.
