1. Scabies Mites Slideshow Pictures
2. Adult Skin Problems Slideshow Pictures
3. Childhood Skin Problems Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• Scabies facts
• What is scabies? What causes a scabies infestation?
• How do you get scabies?
• Can you catch scabies from a dog or cat?
• What are risk factors for scabies?
• What does a scabies rash look like? What are scabies symptoms and signs?
• What does scabies feel like?
• How is a scabies infestation diagnosed?
• What are treatment options and home remedies for a scabies infestation?
• Are cases of scabies often misdiagnosed?
• What are possible complications of scabies?
• Can a scabies infestation be prevented?
• In what special situations can scabies be more easily spread?
• What is Norwegian or crusted scabies?
• What is the prognosis (outlook) for scabies?
• Pictures of Scabies Mites - Slideshow
• Pictures of Adult Skin Problems - Slideshow
• Pictures of Childhood Skin Problems - Slideshow
• Patient Comments: Scabies - Causes
• Patient Comments: Scabies - How it's Contracted
• Patient Comments: Scabies - Effective Treatments
• Patient Comments: Scabies - Symptoms
• Find a local Dermatologist in your town
• Scabies Index

Direct skin-to-skin contact is the mode of transmission. Scabies mites are very sensitive to their environment. They can only live off of a host body for 24-36 hours under most conditions. Transmission of the mites involves close person-to-person contact of the skin-to-skin variety. It is hard, if not impossible, to catch scabies by shaking hands, hanging your coat next to someone who has it, or even sharing bedclothes that had mites in them the night before. Sexual physical contact, however, can transmit the disease. In fact, sexual contact is the most common form of transmission among sexually active young people, and scabies has been considered by many to be a sexually transmitted disease (STD). However, other forms of physical contact, such as mothers hugging their children, are sufficient to spread the mites. Over time, close friends and relatives can contract it this way, too. School settings typically do not provide the level of prolonged personal contact necessary for transmission of the mites.

Dogs and cats are infected by different types of mites than those which infect humans. Animals are not a source of spread of human scabies. Scabies on dogs is called mange. When canine or feline mites land on human skin, they fail to thrive and produce only a mild itch that goes away on its own. This is unlike human scabies which gets worse and worse unless the condition is treated.

Scabies can infest any human who comes in contact with the mites. The only known risk factor is direct skin contact with someone who is infested. The contact one experiences in social or school settings is not likely to be sufficient to transmit the mites. Sexual or other close contact (such as hugging) is required to spread the condition. The condition does appear in clusters, so outbreaks may occur within a given community.