A Quick Run-down of a Scabies Infection

Recently a friend came to me proclaiming, well, actually whispering, that she thought she was suffering from Scabies. After I shuddered from remembrance of the sci-fi horror stories I heard about Scabies when I was a kid, I asked her what the deal with Scabies really was. She wasn't quite sure, as she figured she was in the beginning stages of the infection. So I decided to do what I do best and conduct a little research...

The word 'scabies' actually comes from the Latin word for' scratch' and if you think you have scabies this may be your first sure fire sign. Scabies most notable symptom is the intense itching that the infected person has to deal with. Also there is usually a rash, varying in size and color. The rash will appear about 30-40 days after infestation. And yes, I said 'infestation' which as disgusting as it is, there's really no better way to describe it. Scabies are actually mites (little tiny bugs) that burrow under your skin.

It will probably take about 4-6 weeks before the infected will notice any symptoms. The itching (probably the worst part of the whole disease, rather than the obvious disgusting factor) actually occurs when the impregnated mite burrows under the skin and deposits her eggs. If that isn't sickening enough, the eggs will eventually hatch under the skin (within 3-10 days of being laid) and the 'baby mites' will move around on the skin, eventually maturing into adults. An adult mite can live in the skin anywhere from 3-4 weeks.

Scabies is highly contagious and can be transmitted through skin to skin contact. It can also be spread if a person touches an infested bed-sheet or perhaps a piece of clothing, although those scenarios are less probable. Humans aren't the only ones susceptible to scabies; animals can be hosts as well. Scabies can be quite common in dogs, so be sure to check the family pets every so often.

Now for the good news- there are certainly many ways to treat and absolve a Scabies infection. There are oral medications that can be taken, as well as topical medications, and of course there are topical creams that will help with the itching/scratching aspect of the infection. A person can be infected with Scabies more than once, so be careful! If you know someone who is already infected, run screaming from them in the opposite direction. Or just make sure you don't touch them while they're infected. Either of those options will work.

If you happen to be currently dealing with Scabies, don't worry you're not alone. 300 million cases of Scabies occur in the world each year.

For more information check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scabies.