While there has been heightened infestation in the United States, outbreaks have really been confined to hospitals and nursing homes and are not commonly associated with school settings according to public health information. Infection comes from direct skin-to-skin contact and mostly of an intimate and/or prolonged (several minutes) nature (please see below). At this time, the college health center and athletic training program have only heard of five cases of scabies this year and each of the students were taking the proper precautionary measures to prevent further infection. If anyone were to have any questions or concerns, they should contact Ms. Diane Hensley, Campus Nurse, at dhensley@tusculum.edu or (423) 636-7300 x5499.
Scabies facts
- Scabies is an itchy, highly contagious skin condition caused by an infestation by the itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei.
- Direct skin-to-skin contact is the mode of transmission.
- A severe and relentless itch is the predominant symptom of scabies.
- Sexual contact is the most common form of transmission among sexually active young people, and scabies has been considered by many to be a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
- Scabies produces a skin rash composed of small red bumps and blisters and affects specific areas of the body.
- Treatment includes oral or topical scabicidal drugs.
What is scabies?
Scabies is an itchy, highly contagious skin disease caused by an infestation by the itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Mites are small eight-legged parasites (in contrast to insects, which have six legs). They are tiny, just 1/3 millimeter long, and burrow into the skin to produce intense itching, which tends to be worse at night. The mites that infest humans are female and are 0.3 mm-0.4 mm long; the males are about half this size. Scabies mites can be seen with a magnifying glass or microscope. The scabies mites crawl but are unable to fly or jump. They are immobile at temperatures below 20 C, although they may survive for prolonged periods at these temperatures.
Scabies infestation occurs worldwide and is very common. It has been estimated that worldwide, about 300 million cases occur each year. Human scabies has been reported for over 2,500 years. Scabies has been reported to occur in epidemics in nursing homes, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other institutions. In the U.S., it is seen frequently in the homeless population but occurs episodically in other populations of all socioeconomic groups as well.
How do you get scabies?
Direct skin-to-skin contact is the mode of transmission. Scabies mites are very sensitive to their environment. They can only live off of a host body for 24-36 hours under most conditions. Transmission of the mites involves close person-to-person contact of the skin-to-skin variety. It is hard, if not impossible, to catch scabies by shaking hands, hanging your coat next to someone who has it, or even sharing bedclothes that had mites in them the night before. Sexual physical contact, however, can transmit the disease. In fact, sexual contact is the most common form of transmission among sexually active young people, and scabies has been considered by many to be a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Other forms of physical contact, such as mothers hugging their children, are sufficient to spread the mites. Over time, close friends and relatives can contract it this way, too. School settings typically do not provide the level of prolonged personal contact necessary for transmission of the mites.