A Guide to Scabies Symptoms

Scabies is a highly-infectious skin condition that cause itchiness as directly caused by the eight-legged mite Sarcoptes scabei. Almost anyone can acquire scabies regardless of race,gender, culture or age.

Scabies spreads easily especially in densely populated areas where there is frequent skin-to-skin contact between people. Places like hospitals, child-care centers and nursing homes often have a scabies epidemic. Scabies can also spread through sexual contact among sexually active people.Aside from direct skin contact,scabies can also be transmitted by sharing towels, clothes and beddings. Human beings cannot acquire scabies from pets. Pets have a different form of mites known as mange.

How to identify scabies symptoms
Scabies produces a skin rash composed of small red bumps and blisters and affects specific areas of the body. Scabies can be found between the fingers, the wrists and the backs of the elbows, the knees, around the waist and umbilicus, the axillary folds, the areas around the nipples, the sides and backs of the feet, the genital area, and the buttocks. In most cases, the bumps or papules may contain blood crusts. Do take note that not all bumps are caused by mites. Typically, when scabies happens,there are less than 15 live mites found in a person's body even if the rashes has spread throughout the body. Scabies in very young children are often located on the head, face, neck, palms, and soles of the feet in infants and very young children but uncommon in adults and older children.

Scabies is highly-contagious and it would a lot of help if people can easily identify scabies symptoms to prevent infection from spreading. Once scabies symptoms are present, it is advisable to immediately seek medical attention. In fact,even people near an infected person must receive treatment so the disease would be prevented from spreading. There are several medications available that can lessen the discomfort from scabies symptoms;however, care must be exerted when taking prescription drugs. Scabies treatment have different forms such as lotions, creams or pills. There are also safe and natural remedies for scabies considered safe for young children. Preventing a scabies epidemic is possible as long as people are aware of how the disease is transmitted so it can be controlled.

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