SCABIES

Scabies is a parasitic disease caused by colonization of skin by the mite Sarcoptes scabei. These may mimic other skin diseases. Itching and visible lesions may occur several days after the infection ,since it takes some time before the mite can penetrate the skin .There are three types of skin lesions endema,redness and vesicle formation which appear on the lower part of the body, reddish nodules may be seen on the upper part of the trunk, linear or serpiginous tracks of burrows formed by the female mite are the most frequent on the distal arm and wirst.Cutaneous inflammation is not unusual on the face ,neck and scalp in children. The best treatment for this disease is 5 percent permethrin topical cream in children beyond 2 months of age. A single application cures more than 90 percent of cases. There is no systemic toxicity. It is more effective than antibiotics like lindane or crotamiton.Permethrin is applied locally overnight and allowed to remain on the lesions for at least 10 hours and this may be repeated one or two weeks later. In children below 2 months of age, sulpher creams are safer yet less effective choices. Oral vaccination is very effective in children above 5 years of age. All members of the family should be treated concurrently even when there are no apparent skin lesions of scabies. After the treatment is completed, all clothes and bed linen should be boiled, put out in the sun and subjected to hot ironing.