The “7-year itch” is a term used also to describe the itch caused by a scabies infestation.

 Early researchers felt that there was a cycle of 7-30 years for scabies epidemics. During periods of war the later observed that scabies epidemics may occur more frequently.

One group of researchers, over a period of two decades of observations found only one in thirty-one persons exposed to scabies acquires the infestation. These infestations are more common in winter months. Apparently the mites live longer in cooler temperatures. People make more close contacts in crowded places during the winter months. This is felt to be one of the reasons for more frequent winter time infestations.

Other studies revealed that the mite is sensitive to human sweat.

About 300 million people had scabies towards the end of the twentieth century. This accounted for 5% of the world’s population, at that time.

Children are more vulnerable to scabies. Ethnic differences are not due to biological differences between human populations.

Poverty, poor nutritional status, homelessness, dementia and poor hygiene increase risk of scabies infestation.

Health care workers are thought to be more susceptible to scabies infestations.

Scabies outbreaks typically occur in hospitals, nursing homes, prisons or kindergartens.

Scabies generally spreads from one person to the next. The most common method of acquiring an infestation is by direct contact. Although scabies can be acquired from clothing, bed linen or furniture, this is not felt to be a common means of spread. The Norwegian scabies mite can be acquired frequently from contaminated furniture, bed linen or clothing.

Transmission between family members is very common due to close contact. Sexual contact is also an important method of transmission.

Other conditions that imitate scabies:1. Contact dermatitis 2. Folliculitis or impetigo 3. Atopic eczema 4. Tinea corporis (ringworm of the body) 5. Insect bites from mosquitoes, fleas, lice, bedbugs, chiggers 6. Papular urticaria 7. Dermatitis herpetiformis 8. Eczema herpeticum 9. Viral rashes 10. Syphilis 11. Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy 12. Pityraisis rosea   How do we get rid of Scabies?General:

Environmental Treatments:

Medical Treatment: Your doctor can give you a prescription for anti-scabies medication.

Scabies affects mostly children and elderly people, but it can occur in young adults just as well. The condition is very contagious and it can be easily transmitted through direct contact with an infected person. The mite responsible for causing scabies can live for about 3 days without a human host and it can be contracted by using contaminated objects such as clothing, towels, bed sheets etc.

The most common symptoms of scabies are skin inflammation, rash, pustules, blisters and nodules. Some of these symptoms can become severe if the condition is not treated appropriately. Scabies treatment is targeted towards eradicating the infestation with mites. The mites usually find shelter in the less exposed areas of the body, such as the chest, back, armpits, buttocks, genitals, feet, but they can also infest the face or the scalp (particularly in the case of infants and small children).

An effective scabies treatment should be able to eradicate the mites in only a few days. If used appropriately, the scabies treatment should be able to destroy the eggs and larvae too. However, although the infestation is eradicated, the symptoms of scabies can persist for as long as a few weeks. Although the mites and larvae are killed by the scabies treatment, their bodies still remain burrowed into the skin, causing further inflammation and rash. The scabies treatment should therefore include local medical creams to deal with the skin irritation.

Scabies treatments usually consist of local ointments and creams. They should be applied on the entire skin surface, not only in the regions that appear to be infested. The most common medical creams used in scabies treatments today are Permethrin and Malathion. Permethrin is a cream that applies on the affected regions of the skin. It is very well tolerated and needs to be kept on the skin for at least 8 hours before washing it off. Malathion is a lotion that should be kept on the skin for 24 hours. When applying the local scabies treatment, you should insist in the areas where the mites tend to shelter. Remember to always reapply the scabies treatment on the skin after you wash. Also, don’t apply the creams and lotions right after showering. If the skin pores are wide open, the scabies treatment will be absorbed too deep into the skin and therefore the mites won’t be affected by it.

After dealing with the infestation with scabies mites, the rash and itch can be eased by using a treatment with hydrocortisone and antihistamine. These medicines are often used in scabies treatments for ameliorating the symptoms of the condition. If the skin is also infected with bacteria, (Impetigo may occur along with scabies), the scabies treatment will also include antibiotics. An efficient scabies treatment will eradicate the mites and deal with the rash and itch. However, if the symptoms persist or aggravate, the scabies treatment may need to be repeated.

The scabies treatment should be followed by all the people who entered in contact with the contaminated person, even if they don’t show any signs of the condition yet. These actions are very important in preventing the spreading of the mites to other people.

Scabies in people occurs due to infestation with microscopic mites called Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis. Once they find a human host, these tiny mites crawl onto the skin and shelter in the less exposed areas of the body. The female parasite mites burrow deep into the skin and lay their eggs. After a while, larvae emerge and climb to the surface of the skin. They continue to mature and break through the skin when they are fully developed.

Scabies are very contagious and can affect anyone. The mites can easily be transmitted through physical contact. Scabies are very common in children and elderly people. The infestation with scabies mites is facilitated by crowded conditions and children in nursing homes, kindergartens and schools are more exposed to contracting the condition. Good personal hygiene can’t prevent scabies from occurring. Even though proper hygiene can delay the occurrence of some symptoms of scabies, it can’t stop the condition from developing.

The most common symptoms of scabies are itching, inflammation, rash, pustules, blisters and nodules. The itching can be severe and it usually intensifies at night. It can lead to infections that are difficult to heal. Scabies mostly affects the skin on the hands and feet and the parasite mites tend to hide between the fingers or under the nails. Scabies can also affect other regions of the body, such as the neck, chest, back, armpits, wrists, elbows, buttocks and the genital area. The skin affected by scabies is exposed to infection with bacteria. Scabies can lead to impetigo, a serious bacterial skin infection that is difficult to treat. Also, people can develop allergic reactions to the mites’ feces and secretions, containing substances that are toxic to the human body.

Scabies can become very serious if it isn’t discovered in time. Although most of its symptoms can be misleading in establishing the appropriate diagnose, scabies can be revealed by careful physical examinations. Address yourself to a doctor when you first spot the symptoms of scabies. If the doctor reveals the presence of scabies mites within the skin, he will prescribe an appropriate treatment for dealing with the infestation.

The treatment for scabies usually consists of medical creams, lotions and ointments. These are locally applied on the entire skin, not only on the areas that are visibly affected by scabies. The local treatment should remain on the skin for 8-12 hours and should be reapplied after washing. Scabies can be overcome within the first week of treatment and the inflammation will heal in time. If it is left untreated, the condition can become very serious and therefore it is advised to ask for medical help as soon as you spot the symptoms of scabies.

Scabies natural treatments seem to be very well tolerated by the skin. Although natural treatments may need to be applied for longer periods of time to successfully eradicate the parasite mites, they are milder to the skin. Synthetic, medications usually eradicate the mites in only a few days, but sometimes aggravate the symptoms of scabies on the duration of the treatment.

It is important to note that even if the mites responsible for causing scabies are killed, their bodies remain in the skin layers and they still produce irritation and allergic reactions. Scabies natural treatments with Azadirachta indica (Neem), Curcuma longa (Turmeric) and tea tree oil can also ameliorate the symptoms of scabies. These natural alternatives to scabies medical treatments originate from the Indian system of medicine and have been successfully used in curing scabies and chronic ulcers for a long time.

Scabies natural treatments with Neem and Turmeric (usually under the form of cream or lotion) should be applied locally, on the skin. You should apply the treatment on the entire skin, not only on the regions that are visibly affected by scabies. Scabies natural treatments with Neem and Turmeric are very well tolerated by the skin and are able to completely eradicate the mites in a short period of time. The majority of patients that have been treated with Neem and Turmeric completely recovered from the condition after two weeks. Tea tree oil is also very efficient in eradicating the infestation with mites and has a calming effect on the skin. In some cases, scabies natural treatments can contain a combination of these products.

Once you begin the scabies natural treatment, you have to take steps in preventing a second infestation. Wash all your clothes, bed linens, towels and disinfect your personal items that may still be contaminated with mites. Remember that scabies parasite mites can survive for about 3 days without a human host. If you live with your family, make sure that they also follow the treatment for scabies, even they present no symptoms. In fact, make sure that everyone you came in contact when you were infested follows an appropriate treatment for scabies, as the condition is very contagious.