Scabies Contagion: How It Happens And Risks Factors
Scabies is characterized by being an infection that affects the skin. The most important symptom is certainly that linked to the development of very small protuberances and that also cause considerable pain. Often bladders are formed which are caused by mites with dimensions that are nothing short of miniscule. These mites have the ability to infiltrate the superficial part of the epidermis, with the intent to lay eggs and multiply.
What are the possible causes of scabies contagion
Scabies is a disease that is caused by a mite that can not be seen with the naked eye. It is a mite that has no survival capacity for more than 36 hours away from the human body.
The incubation of this pathology involving the skin ranges from three to six weeks. In case of re-infestation, this period is considerably shortened. From an aesthetic point of view, the presence of scabies derives from the very short lines, the wavy shape and the reddish color that are formed right on the surface of the skin. The concentration of these lines is greater in the area from the wrist to the fingers. The subjects that suffer the scabies infection could also come to terms with an eruption in the skin, with the formation of an erythema with red pustules in relief.
The most common symptom of scabies contagion is certainly represented by a particularly intense itching. During the night hours or after a hot bath, this feeling can increase, since the mites increase their activity because of the heat. The infection due to scabies begins with a whole series of blisters and pustules, which are destroyed when you scratch. Thus, the skin becomes increasingly thick and scaly. The parts of the body that are most subject to the scabies contagious correspond to the hands and feet, but also to the internal area of the wrist as well as to the part below the armpit.
The infection can also occur in other areas of the body: it is the elbows and the parts near the chest, the genital organs, the buttocks and the navel. In all children who are less than two years old (even if these are very rare cases), scabies rises up like a set of vesicles and hits the neck and the hairless areas of the face, head and soles of the feet. . In the event that a person affected by scabies begins to scratch on those parts of the body subject to itching, there is also a greater chance that the skin will suffer infection due to germs and bacteria.
How the infection occurs
Scabies contagion occurs through long-lasting contact between the skin of the two people, or even through sexual intercourse with an infected person. The infection can obviously spread with considerable simplicity in very crowded places. It seems that this skin infection can also occur simply by coming into contact with objects of the infected person, but this is a rather rare situation.
Scabies is an endemic skin infection in all countrifes o the world, which can affect anyone regardless of age, habits and social extraction. Up until a few decades ago it had become quite rare, only to return to spread everywhere and to manifest itself more frequently. The reasons for the cyclical progression of this disease have never been ascertained with precision, while its enormous diffusion is due to various social and cultural factors: in the West, the lack of observance of some basic hygienic conditions favors the development of the disease, the custom to undertake international travel and promiscuity in public environments, especially in the health sector. The diffusion of scabies occurs more frequently in winter, in relation to the concentration of people inside enclosed spaces.
Parasitosis of mites on human skin
The mites responsible for this infection, impossible to see with the naked eye, are obliged, to reproduce, to lurk on the human skin, far from which they cannot survive except for a few tens of hours. During their life cycle, which lasts about six weeks, the females deposit their eggs by digging small burrows under the skin, where they hatch after a few days, generating larvae that mature in about ten days.
Scabies are contagious and spread rapidly, mainly through sexual intercourse, even if protected with condoms, and contact with the epidermis of an infested person. Spreading occurs easily in public places and in crowded places, such as kindergartens, schools, hospitals, due to direct contacts between people. On the contrary, through the clothes and the linen, the infection rarely occurs, precisely because of the short survival of the mites outside the human epidermic environment. Sexual transmission implies that the adult subjects affected by the infection, and their partners, also undergo analyzes related to the diagnosis of other sexually transmitted infections, in order to intervene with the most appropriate therapy.
Read this materials from health portals if you want know more about Scabies:
Scabies diagnosis method
To accurately diagnose the presence of the Sarcoptes scabiei mite, responsible for the infection, the physician must identify the presence of the adult parasite, larvae or eggs by microscopic analysis of the fragments of skin scales on the slide. A specialist takes about an hour to diagnose scabies with confidence, using, if the simple observation under the microscope is insufficient, the technique of dermatoscopy, a method commonly used for the identification of skin diseases, erythemas and parasites of various kinds.
Possibility of contagion prevention
The prevention useful to avoid the infection and the spread of scabies is carried out above all strictly adhering to the rules of hygiene. At home, it is necessary to wash thoroughly all the clothes and linen that you think may have been contaminated, and if the items are not washable at home, proceed with dry cleaning. In the case of personal objects that are impossible to wash, they must be closed in a plastic bag for not less than a fortnight, in such a way as to cause the destruction of the mites. In public environments, it is necessary to maintain an excellent level of hygiene, and avoid, if possible, to frequent the crowded environments. During travel, it is good to check that sheets and linen in hotels have been replaced correctly.
The long incubation period
The presence of the mite on the skin begins to give the characteristic symptoms only after a period of about four weeks, despite the continuous proliferation of mites, as the itching that arises afterwards is an allergic response to the parasite, and requires useful time to the body to activate the immune defenses against. Only in the case of a second infestation, after healing from the first, the affected subject could manifest the symptoms after a few days, due to the phenomenon of sensitization.
The importance of medical intervention
The lesions caused by scabies are generally characterized by the burrows created by the parasite, however the similarity with other infections, dermatitis, excoriations and eczema, require specific tests, in order to prescribe the ideal therapy. The complexity of the infestation makes medical intervention necessary: it is advisable to avoid home solutions and self-medication, also because the therapy must involve both the affected subject and the people in direct contact with it, even in the absence of symptoms. An expert specialist is able to identify the disease and prescribe the cure for the infestation, for the symptoms, and for any bacterial superinfections, and preventive therapy against those who may have been infected, but is still undergoing treatment.
The contagion of pets
The scabies that affect humans are caused by a specific human parasite, different from the species that infest dogs and pets. In case the dog’s characteristic mites are transferred to humans, they can only cause temporary irritation, as the parasite dies in a few days and has no chance of reproducing. It is however necessary to subject the dog, or any other pet, to the specific therapy, to free it from the parasites and avoid allergic forms from the people who are in contact with it.
Scabies in pregnancy
It happens very rarely that pregnancy does not involve any kind of pathology or some complications. The main disorders are related to the fact that the immune system defenses are lowered during pregnancy. In some cases, in fact, the woman has to deal with some skin disorders, including scabies. Future mothers, in any case, do not have to worry since so many studies have shown how the fetus in no way undergoes the side effects of scabies. In any case, it is advisable for pregnant women to undergo treatment to prevent this disease, so as to prevent inadvertent contact from infecting the fetus. Among the various symptoms we find not only the itching, but also the emergence of a whole series of spotted papules that is always good to differentiate from those that derive from herpes.
This explains why the dermatologist is exactly the most suitable figure to arrive at a correct diagnosis. It is the best specialist to distinguish symptoms derived from herpes gesationis or hepatogestosis. There are some indications that expectant mothers should always keep in mind. For example, always apply the pesticide on the body that is indicated by the doctor. At the same time it is good to change and wash (at high temperatures) daily the various items of clothing. Not only that, but it is also better to always carefully clean pillows, blankets, sheets and mattresses, perhaps putting them in isolation for some time. It is necessary to follow step by step all the indications that are proposed by the doctor, who will clearly suggest the most effective drug at a rather low dosage. It is good to avoid suspending or changing the treatment without consulting the doctor.
What are the dangers and how long it lasts
From the point of view of the parasitosis there are no real risks, while the bacterial superinfections caused by scratching due to the itching that can lead to different problems. When it is not treated, scabies does not disappear by itself, but in most cases it is enough only an application of therapy due to heal.
What is the therapy?
Scabies infection should be treated appropriately by a doctor or dermatologist. In most cases a cream or medicated lotion is prescribed that can destroy all mites. The cream should be applied not only to the area affected by itching or affected by the rash, but to the whole body and wait between 8 and 12 hours before taking a shower. After applying the cream it is better to avoid washing your hands, since scabies mites especially appreciate the skin that is between your fingers. So many times, this therapy must be performed again after seven days. Moreover, given that the infection can also occur through sexual relations, it is good that the subject who suffers examining it for further diseases that can be transmitted through the relationship. Not only that, since the partner of the subject affected by scabies will also have to undergo the same therapy. When a bacterial infection also occurs, your doctor may also recommend the use of antibiotics, or the use of antihistamines is recommended to relieve itching.
Natural remedies to cure scabies
In some cases the treatment of scabies symptoms may include the use of natural remedies. As for the treatment of the disease, however, clearly it is necessary to take a drug that can help to eradicate mites. Natural remedies, however, are able to make the activity of drugs more powerful, but at the same time they are also excellent for giving a little relief against itching and other symptoms. The most common natural remedies are undoubtedly the neem oil. It is mainly used because of its remarkable natural antiparasitic properties against various parasites, such as fleas, ticks and mites. The active ingredients such as stearic and oleic acid guarantee an emollient action and are mainly used to relieve itching. The active ingredient azadirachtin, on the other hand, is mainly due to its important anti-mite properties.
Another excellent natural remedy is lemon. Thanks to the remarkable presence of citric acid and vitamins, it is used in many therapies, above all because of its disinfectant and anti-inflammatory activities. The lemon should be used by rubbing it lightly on the areas of the skin that have been affected by scabies. For this reason, on many occasions it can be useful for better disinfection of the skin compared to the mites, giving relief even against the related inflammation. Melaleuca oil has various active ingredients inside it, such as alcoholimonoterpenes which guarantee a disinfecting and antibacterial action.
Homeopathic remedies for scabies
There are not only natural remedies, but also homeopathic ones. In some cases, in fact, one can resort to homeopathy through a particular remedy that takes the name of Sulfur. It is a remedy that is used in most cases for the treatment of psoriasis. In reality, however, more than once has also guaranteed good results to eradicate scabies. As for the dosage, it is recommended to use Sulfur at a concentration equal to 7CH, with the intake of three granules or 5 drops per day. To learn more about natural remedies you can apply against scabies at home, consult these materials besthomeremedies.com/home-remedies-for-scabies.html.
What are the symptoms of scabies in dogs?
Among the various symptoms related to demodectic scab we surely find the hair loss, but also the formation of small wounds and a reddening of the skin. The dog, usually, can also not feel itch until the time when the infection is not widely diffused. Many times, in fact, it may also appear that the dog is perfectly healthy. However, the redness of the skin can also lead to various pains in the stomach, even very strong. In case the treatment is not adopted in time, the dog can lose a lot of hair.
Sarcoptic scab can cause a particularly intense burn from the very first steps of the disease. It can also happen that the dog begins to scratch or bite as if to eradicate itching. Naturally this behavior does nothing but make things worse. The dog’s health can worsen very quickly and also entails considerable difficulty eating and sleeping because of the annoyance related to reddening of the skin. In the event that this type of infection is not treated in time, health problems may arise, even particularly serious.
Another excellent natural remedy is lemon. Thanks to the remarkable presence of citric acid and vitamins, it is used in many therapies, above all because of its disinfectant and anti-inflammatory activities. The lemon should be used by rubbing it lightly on the areas of the skin that have been affected by scabies. For this reason, on many occasions it can be useful for better disinfection of the skin compared to the mites, giving relief even against the related inflammation. Melaleuca oil has various active ingredients inside it, such as alcoholimonoterpenes which guarantee a disinfecting and antibacterial action.
