Symptoms and Signs of Scabies

Scabies is the most contagious skin disease of human body in this world. It is extremely common in poor and under privileged. It is caused by ectoparasite called ‘female sarcoptes scabies’ which is an obligate parasite. It mostly occurs during winter. Poor personal hygiene, overcrowding and poor sanitary condition are responsible for scabies. It can be transmitted by skin to skin contact (97%) and household (3%) like cloth, bed sheet etc.

Pathogenesis :

Sarcopte enter into the body. Then antigen (excreta, saliva and dead body of the organism) is identified by langerhan’s cell (skin macrophage). Langerhan’s cell engulf the antigen, process and present it to regional lymph node. Then proliferative changes of T lymphocyte and stimulation of effecter T lymphocyte and production of memory cell. Lymphokine goes to the circulation and manifested in the skin as scabies or itching.

Clinical features:

I. Itching at night

II. Typical lesion in typical site:

· Child: Face and scalp
· Male: Genitalia
· Female: Nipple and areola, umbilical and periumbilical region.

III. Signs: · Characteristic Borrow: raised and greish wlth in colour (pathognomic ).
· Papule.
· Vesicle.
· Pastule.

Investigations:

· Identification of burrow by oil test, ink test and fluorescent test.
· Identification of female mite, egg or fecal pelleis under microscope.
· Skin biopasy(Histopathology) .
· Routine blood test:(Eosinophillia).

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Symptoms of Scabies in Humans

The symptoms of scabies involve itching (mostly at night) with a building sensation. This building feeling/sensation refers to the fact that over a few days the itching will get worse and “ease off” less. You will also see your skin start to redden. This is firstly through the damage caused by the mites, secondly be the cleaning attempts you make and thirdly by the scratching of the area that you do yourself.

The parts of the human body that are most commonly adversely affected by the scabies mites are on the hands and the feet. They are often seen on the webbed parts of you skin, like between your fingers and your toes. The underside of your wrists and just under your arms and armpits are often affected. It is sometimes seen around the breasts, navel (belly button), elbows, buttocks and genitals (your googlies).

The mite is responsible for scraping ridges (scabby lines), excoriated papules (lump like spots without fluid inside), and promotes eczematisation (eczema) or super-infection (impetiginisation - causing impetigo). The specific lesions of scabies are mostly visible as furrows with a fine sinuous path of less than 1 cm (trench like lines), slightly lighter than your skin colour highlight and a little gray where the dead skins shows. They may also show up as beaded vesicles (like a blister spot) and scabrous nodules (scab patches) under your arms or near you external genitalia. These lesions often lack a specific pattern or shape.

The search for mites should be done via direct examination to be sure that it is the scabies mites causing the problem and to rule out any other causes. The doctor will collect dander (bits of skin) for a parasitological examination of suspicious areas. Samples will be taken from the scabies patches, especially at the furrows. The dander is then immediately microscopically examined. This type of examination is particularly effective in the forms of infection where the mite infestation is profuse and often is useful in atypical cases where it may not appear to be scabies in the first instance.

The place from which you originally contracted the mites should be examined. Don’t forget that you may have caught the mites from a lot of place. On people alone, you can have eye mites, hair mites and skin mites. You may catch them from a lover, or other peoples clothing or bed sheets.

Do not confuse scabies with poor cleanliness. If you decide to fight your scabies mite infection through repeated washing and scrubbing, then you will simply make your symptoms act a little more differently. The scabies mites themselves will still be present. Though it is true that many skin mites like to live in places with lots of dead skin, the scabies mites actually prefer moist areas. This is the reason you will find them under your armpits or on the sweaty parts of your wrists. You should not rule out the fact that they may infect anywhere on your body. You may find eyelash mites, hair mites, skin mites around your body, so check with your doctor if you think you may have scabies.

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Scabies Symptoms. How Scabies are different from Demodex mites

First signs and symptoms of scabies or human Itch mite, may be confused with other skin complications which can include demodicosis, shingles or virus-like rashes. It could take up to 60 days for noticeable symptoms of scabies invasion. When these microscopic mites begin to dig tunnels, red or brown zigzag strains start to emerge on the skin. An allergy look like rash consisting of small to medium sized holes and bumps might appear in affected areas.

Same as demodex mites, scabies symptoms are accompanied with extreme and on-going itching, at night in particular. One sign to be sure that you have scabies and not demodex is another person in your family with similar symptoms. Unlike demodex, scabies is extremely contagious. It can be passed on to other people in your home.

If demodex mites typically affect adults and can be found mainly on the facial skin, the scalp, the eye lashes and the eye lids, scabies are able to invade adults and children. The scabies are tiny but vicious skin parasites when it comes to choosing areas where it likes to migrate. Various parts of a persons body that include: the elbows, the waistline area, underneath the breasts in women, the genital area, the buttocks, such small areas like between the toes and the fingers are the most typical for scabies infestation. The head, neck, feet and hands can home these insects as well. Most of the human body's folds and crevices can be affected with scabies.

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