Scabies
What is scabies?
Scabies is caused by a parasite called the scabies mite. It concerns the adult females of the mange mite. They dig trenches of about 1 cm just under the skin and lay their eggs there. The eggs hatch after three to four days. Those new mites come out of the corridors and the females use them to dig other corridors into the skin, and then lay new eggs again.
Scabies is very contagious
The scab mite can reach 4 to 6 weeks of age. Outside the body, most mites are dead after three days. They really need a "host".
Incubation time
This takes between 2 and 6 weeks. If you come into contact with the mange mite much later after the treatment, the infection will already occur after a few days. This is because, after that time, your body responds immediately to this parasite through an allergic reaction.
How do you know if you have scabies?
- You feel a lot of itching (especially at night). The itch is because your body goes into defence mode against eggs and the mite poops.
- Look especially at your wrists, between your fingers and toes, in your knees and under your breasts. Or on your thighs / buttocks. There are the flaking corridors that they have dug.
- You can get small blisters or red bumps on your genitals.
- Scratching does not help itching, the only thing it does is damage your skin or cause inflammation.
- The itching persists (often) even after treatment for some time.
The doctor or the dermatologist takes some skin scraps from you for examination. This is placed under a microscope in the hospital to see if there are mites and eggs in it. It may also be that the doctor immediately sees that it is scabies. At the pharmacy you can then go and get a cream or gel on prescription.
In addition to scabies, there is also scabies crustosa. You can get this through very low resistance. These people carry many mites. Then it is important that this is examined by a dermatologist.
Will scabies disappear naturally?
Scab will not pass by itself. They continue to reproduce and therefore their number increases. Always get treated so that you get rid of it quickly and you do not infect others. Also check if another is already infected, so that the person can take immediate action.
Therapy
With a permetrine cream or Loxazol cream. Sometimes with a pill. Or a combination of these. This usually involves an outbreak of mange mite in several people at the same time.
It may be that the itching, during the treatment, will actually get worse. This is because the skin contains the foreign substances from the dead mites. The body is busy cleaning this up itself. That gives it itching, so don't stop the treatment. You can use menthol powder, fatty ointment or antihistamine tablets if you suffer from itching. First consult the doctor. If you are pregnant, also report this to the doctor or if you are breast-feeding.
Read the package leaflet carefully. Sometimes it is important to repeat the treatment after a week. Bed linen, towels and clothes must be washed at a minimum of 60 degrees. This also applies to hugs. If the slippers can be washed, it was immediately ready for use, because mites can also sit on it.
If you have roommates, a partner or someone who lives close to you? Do you have more than fifteen minutes and intensive skin contact with each other? Or did you have sexual contact not long ago? Have you used your bed or each other's clothing together? Even physical care, helping someone else, such as putting on his clothes, can already get you infected.
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Datum: 20-11-'19
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