Local Cases Of Scabies Confirmed In Radnor Township

From the Township of Radnor:

Posted on: October 3, 2019

Twenty cases of the itchy and contagious skin condition, Scabies, have been confirmed locally over the past week. Scabies is an infestation of the skin by a tiny mite smaller than a pinhead. According to the Department of Health, it can spread rapidly under crowded conditions where there is frequent skin-to-skin contact.

Per the Center for Disease Control, please consult the following guidelines in the event of Scabies:

About/Transmission/Symptoms:

• Human scabies are microscopic mites that burrow into the upper layer of the skin and live and lay eggs.
• Scabies is found in every country and across all races and socio- economic classes.
• It is passed by direct skin to skin contact of an infected person. It spreads easily in conditions of overcrowding or areas where there is close body and skin contact, for ex., households, schools, nursing homes, day cares.
• In adults, scabies is frequently acquired through sexual contact.

Disease:

• First time infestations can take 2-6 weeks or (2 months) for symptoms to appear, however, these individuals can still spread scabies until they are successfully treated.
• Those who’ve had the infestation before, symptoms generally appear much sooner, 1-4 days after exposure.

Symptoms:

• The most common symptoms of scabies is a rash and itching. Severe itching, usually at night, is the earliest most common symptom.
• The itching is caused by sensitization or type of “allergic” reaction to the proteins and feces of the parasite.
• The rash is pimple like and can occur on the entire body or can be limited to more common areas such as; in between fingers, wrist, elbow, penis, armpit, waist, nipple, or shoulders blades.
• In babies, or very young children, you are more likely to see the rash on the head, face, neck, palms and soles of the feet.
• Sometimes, you will see tiny burrows on the skin from female mites tunneling underneath the surface of the skin. Since there are usually only 10-15 mites on the skin, it is difficult to see the tunneling. If you do, you may notice, greyish-white or skin colored lines on the skin surface.

Potential complications:

• Intense itching can lead to scratching that can lead the skin sores. These sores can get infected with bacteria and lead to inflammation in other areas of the body.

Treatment:

• Those affected and those in direct close contact with those affected, as well as household members and sexual contacts, should all be treated.
• Medication: prescription from a doctor for a scabicide. The lotion or cream should be used as described and applied to all affected areas.
• Bedding, towels, or clothing used within 3 days before treatment to the affected person, household members or sexual contacts, should be washed in hot water, placed in a dryer or sealed in a plastic bag for 72 hours.
• Scabies mites typically do not survive after 2-3 days away from human skin.
• Avoid direct contact with infected persons.

Things to know:

• Itching can still occur weeks after treatment. If the rash re-appears after treatment, follow up treatment may be necessary.
• Should sores develop and become infected (redness, yellow drainage, or fever), due to intense itching, see your doctor for antibiotic treatment.

For more information please visit https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/scabies/index.html

This press release was produced by the Township of Radnor. The views expressed here are the author’s own.