News Briefing
What is scabies?
Scabies is caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, pictured above.
It produces intense, itchy skin rashes when the impregnated female tunnels into the skin and deposits its eggs. They hatch in three to ten days, move about on the skin and then mature into adult mites, which live for up to four weeks.
The action of the mites moving within the skin and on the skin itself produces an intense itch which may resemble an allergic reaction in appearance. The presence of the eggs produces a massive allergic response which, in turn, produces more itching.
Scabies is transmitted mainly by skin-to-skin contact with an infected person though it is possible to catch it by sharing clothing, bedding and towels.
7:14am Monday 17th March 2008
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