Scabies is a contagious problem known to humans before the first millennium. Scabies is caused by a mite called Sarcoptes scabiei var hominis that is burrowed under the skin. This highly contagious problem spreads after skin to skin contact. If the infection is high in a person there are many risks of spreading it to others. Besides direct spreading of the disease caused by skin to skin contact, scabies may spread indirectly. This way of spreading is a consequence of sharing clothes, towels, sheets or any other personal items. However we are certain that mites do not survive long once they are off the skin.



The mites cause terrible itchiness because they are burrowed in the epidermis and especially because of their feces and ova laid by females. Initially these things cause irritation followed by itchiness. In many cases scabies is confused with eczema or impetigo because of their similar conditions especially when it comes to children. Even if most of the patients are children scabies may occur at any age and may spread rapidly.

A high number of cases is known all over the world. It is believed that scabies is more spread around the world than diarrhea or upper respiratory disease. The cause might be overcrowding. The less developed communities and countries are believed to be the proper medium for scabies development. If it is not treated scabies may develop into a general health problem for the community that affects. More than that scabies can become a high problem for the patients with a weak immune system. Scabies is a difficult to treat health problem because it is highly contagious and may affect the health care workers too.

Scabies develops in about three weeks after the infection. It is also known that reoccurrence of scabies develops much faster. The most common problem developed by scabies is the irritation of the skin and the itchiness that is worse at night. As we know scabies may affect people of any age. In most of the adults the most common infected areas are the spaces between the fingers or the toes, the flexor aspect of the wrists and elbows, the axillae, male genitalia and women's breasts. The diagnosis is usually made clinically but in some case when the symptoms or appearance of the infection is not concluding a microscope exam is recommended. Under the microscope mites, feces or eggs might be seen. In children is rather hard to go for a diagnosis because in most of the cases they develop atypical lesions. However the most affected areas are the hands, the feet and in body folds.