All About Scabies - II : Diagnosis, symptoms and complications

Diagnosis of Scabies

Diagnosis of a scabies infestation usually is made based upon the customary appearance and distribution of the the rash and the presence of burrows.

Whenever possible, the diagnosis of scabies should be confirmed by identifying the mite or mite eggs or fecal matter (scybala). This can be done by carefully removing the mite from the end of its burrow using the tip of a needle or by obtaining a skin scraping to examine under a microscope for mites, eggs, or mite fecal matter (scybala). However, a person can still be infested even if mites, eggs, or fecal matter cannot be found; fewer then 10-15 mites may be present on an infested person who is otherwise healthy.

Symptoms

When a person is infested with scabies mites the first time, symptoms usually do not appear for up to two months (2-6 weeks) after being infested; however, an infested person still can spread scabies during this time even though he/she does not have symptoms.

If a person has had scabies before, symptoms appear much sooner (1-4 days) after exposure. An infested person can transmit scabies, even if they do not have symptoms, until they are successfully treated and the mites and eggs are destroyed.

Common Symptoms

The most common symptoms of scabies, itching and a skin rash, are caused by sensitization (a type of “allergic” reaction) to the proteins and feces of the parasite. Severe itching (pruritus), especially at night, is the earliest and most common symptom of scabies. A pimple-like (papular) itchy (pruritic) “scabies rash” is also common. Itching and rash may affect much of the body or be limited to common sites such as:

• between the fingers,
• wrist,
• elbow,
• armpit,
• penis,
• nipple,
• waist,
• buttocks,
• shoulder blades.

The head, face, neck, palms, and soles often are involved in infants and very young children, but usually not adults and older children.

Tiny burrows sometimes are seen on the skin; these are caused by the female scabies mite tunneling just beneath the surface of the skin. These burrows appear as tiny raised and crooked (serpiginous) grayish-white or skin-colored lines on the skin surface. Because mites are often few in number (only 10-15 mites per person), these burrows may be difficult to find. They are found most often in the webbing between the fingers, in the skin folds on the wrist, elbow, or knee, and on the penis, breast, or shoulder blades.

Possible Complications

The intense itching of scabies leads to scratching that can lead to skin sores. The sores sometimes become infected with bacteria on the skin, such as Staphylococcus aureus or beta-hemolytic streptococci. Sometimes the bacterial skin infection can lead an inflammation of the kidneys called post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis.

Crusted (Norwegian) scabies

Crusted (Norwegian) scabies is a severe form of scabies that can affect the elderly, persons who are immunocompromised, or persons who have conditions that prevent them from itching and/or scratching (spinal cord injury, paralysis, loss of sensation, mental debility). Crusted scabies is characterized by vesicles and thick crusts over the skin that can contain many mites. Itching (pruritus) may be absent in crusted scabies because of a patient’s altered immune status or neurological condition. Because they are infested with large numbers of mites (up to 2 million), persons with crusted scabies are very contagious. Persons with crusted scabies may not show the usual signs and symptoms of scabies such as the characteristic rash or itching (pruritus).