Scabies: How to tell you are a victim
Jun 20, 2011
AKIROR relies on superstition to explain most of her medical problems. When her husband developed pimple-like swellings on his genitals and skin folds on his wrists, elbows and knees, she hastily concluded that these were signs of a bad spell that had been cast on her family as a result of a land ro
By Moses Okuraja
AKIROR relies on superstition to explain most of her medical problems. When her husband developed pimple-like swellings on his genitals and skin folds on his wrists, elbows and knees, she hastily concluded that these were signs of a bad spell that had been cast on her family as a result of a land row with a neighbour.
Matters worsened when Juliet developed a similar rash on her shoulders and breasts. The intense itching, especially at night, supposedly confirmed her fears that her enemy was after her family.
But her learned friend could tell it was not witchcraft. Akiror and her husband had scabies.
What causes scabies?
Scabies is the infestation of the microscopic mite (sarcoptese scarbiei) in the skin. In Uganda, it is visibly common among rural people and urban street children. Most people actually associate its existence with lack of hygiene.
It is also known to spread so fast in areas where there is frequent skin-to-skin contact and crowded areas.
Dr. Hussein Ahmed, a skin specialist at Dubai Hospital says: “A handshake or hug cannot spread scabies, but scabies mites spread easily between sexual partners and household members.
Sharing clothing, towels and bedding can also transmit scabies mitesâ€
Research from medical journals reveals that people with weak immune systems and the elderly are at risk of a more severe form of scabies.
The mites that cause scabies hardly survive longer than 48 to 72 hours, but while living on a person, an adult female mite can live up to a month. The intense itching, especially at night, can occur over most of the body and the continuous scratching may cause sores. Ultimately, the open sores may also provide yet another breeding ground for bacteria to thrive and infect the body
Ahmed also reveals that if a person has never had scabies, symptoms may take between four to six weeks to appear. “But for a person who has had scabies, symptoms appear within several days.
Diagnosis
Examining the burrows or rashes and a skin scraping tool may be used to look for mites and their eggs to confirm the diagnosis. It is, however, important to know that even if skin scrapping is done and the biopsy comes back negative, there is no absolute guarantee that the patient will not be affected.
Typically, there are always less than 10 mites on the body of an infected person. This, in essence, makes it easy to overlook an infestation
Treatment
Whoever gets diagnosed with scabies along with his/her sexual partner and anyone in close contact with the patient should always seek treatment.
Get treatment at the same time in order to prevent re-infestation.
A prescribed lotion must be applied on a clean body, from the neck to the toes. It is always advisable to leave the lotion on overnight for at least eight hours. Thereafter, you are also encouraged to take a bath.
Always dress in clean clothes and all your clothes including beddings and towels previously used should be washed in hot water and dried in a hot dryer.
However, pregnant women and children may be treated with milder medication.
The itching may continue for two to three weeks, but this does not necessarily mean that a person is still infected.
As a result, your healthcare provider may prescribe additional medication to relieve you of severe itching. At that stage, no new rashes should re-surface after 24-48 hours after treatment.
AKIROR relies on superstition to explain most of her medical problems. When her husband developed pimple-like swellings on his genitals and skin folds on his wrists, elbows and knees, she hastily concluded that these were signs of a bad spell that had been cast on her family as a result of a land row with a neighbour.
Matters worsened when Juliet developed a similar rash on her shoulders and breasts. The intense itching, especially at night, supposedly confirmed her fears that her enemy was after her family.
But her learned friend could tell it was not witchcraft. Akiror and her husband had scabies.
What causes scabies?
Scabies is the infestation of the microscopic mite (sarcoptese scarbiei) in the skin. In Uganda, it is visibly common among rural people and urban street children. Most people actually associate its existence with lack of hygiene.
It is also known to spread so fast in areas where there is frequent skin-to-skin contact and crowded areas.
Dr. Hussein Ahmed, a skin specialist at Dubai Hospital says: “A handshake or hug cannot spread scabies, but scabies mites spread easily between sexual partners and household members.
Sharing clothing, towels and bedding can also transmit scabies mitesâ€
Research from medical journals reveals that people with weak immune systems and the elderly are at risk of a more severe form of scabies.
The mites that cause scabies hardly survive longer than 48 to 72 hours, but while living on a person, an adult female mite can live up to a month. The intense itching, especially at night, can occur over most of the body and the continuous scratching may cause sores. Ultimately, the open sores may also provide yet another breeding ground for bacteria to thrive and infect the body
Ahmed also reveals that if a person has never had scabies, symptoms may take between four to six weeks to appear. “But for a person who has had scabies, symptoms appear within several days.
Diagnosis
Examining the burrows or rashes and a skin scraping tool may be used to look for mites and their eggs to confirm the diagnosis. It is, however, important to know that even if skin scrapping is done and the biopsy comes back negative, there is no absolute guarantee that the patient will not be affected.
Typically, there are always less than 10 mites on the body of an infected person. This, in essence, makes it easy to overlook an infestation
Treatment
Whoever gets diagnosed with scabies along with his/her sexual partner and anyone in close contact with the patient should always seek treatment.
Get treatment at the same time in order to prevent re-infestation.
A prescribed lotion must be applied on a clean body, from the neck to the toes. It is always advisable to leave the lotion on overnight for at least eight hours. Thereafter, you are also encouraged to take a bath.
Always dress in clean clothes and all your clothes including beddings and towels previously used should be washed in hot water and dried in a hot dryer.
However, pregnant women and children may be treated with milder medication.
The itching may continue for two to three weeks, but this does not necessarily mean that a person is still infected.
As a result, your healthcare provider may prescribe additional medication to relieve you of severe itching. At that stage, no new rashes should re-surface after 24-48 hours after treatment.