Scabies (cont.)
Are cases of scabies often misdiagnosed?
Scabies is very easy to misdiagnose because early subtle cases may look like small pimples or mosquito bites. Over a few weeks, however, mistakes like this become evident as patients feel worse and worse with symptoms they can't ignore.
What are possible complications of scabies?
The intense itching of scabies leads to prolonged and often intense scratching of the skin. When the skin is broken or injured due to scratching, secondary bacterial infections of the skin can develop from bacteria normally present on the skin, such as
Staphylococcus aureus or beta-hemolytic streptococci.
In what special situations can scabies be more easily spread?
Elderly and weakened people in nursing homes and similar institutional settings may harbor scabies without showing significant itching or visible signs. In such cases, there can be widespread epidemics among patients and health-care workers. Such cases are dramatic but, fortunately, uncommon.
References: Dourmishev, A.L., Dourmishev, L.A., and Schwartz, R.A. Ivermectin: pharmacology and application in dermatology.
Int J Dermatol. 2005 Dec;44(12):981-8.
Chosidow, O.
Clinical practices. Scabies.
N Engl J Med. 2006 Apr 20;354(16):1718-27. Review. No abstract available.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Scabies: http://www.cdc.gov/scabies/index.html
Medically reviewed by Norman Levine, MD,
Board Certified - American Board of Dermatology
Last Editorial Review: 5/12/2009
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