| Signs and Symptoms |
- The mites dig deep into the skin and lay eggs. This causes a rash with small, red, raised spots. It is very itchy and usually worse at night.
- The rash is usually in skin folds such as between fingers and toes, in the groin area, or around the wrists or elbows, but can be anywhere on the body.
- In infants and young children, the rash can look like curvy, thread-like lines, tiny red bumps, or scratch marks that appear on the scalp, face, neck, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet.
- Itching may persist for a few weeks after treatment. This is not a sign of treatment failure or re-infestation.
- Secondary skin infections can occur from the scratching.
- Signs and symptoms typically start 4 to 6 weeks after being exposed to someone infected with scabies for the first exposure. If previously infested, symptoms may develop 1 to 4 days after exposure, but may be milder.
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| How it Spreads |
- Usually prolonged skin-to-skin contact with an infected person such as sharing a bed or within a household.
- Occasionally acquired during sexual contact.
- By contact with contaminated clothes, undergarments, bedding, towels, or furniture.
- It does not usually spread with short contact like shaking hands or a hug.
- Mites can live off skin for up to 3 days.
- Crusted scabies spreads quickly and easily, even from limited direct contact or from contaminated bedding, clothing, or furniture.
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| Prevention |
- Wash all bedding, towels, and clothes worn or used in the 3 days before start of treatment. Use the hottest water and drying cycle.
- Store items that cannot be washed in an airtight plastic bag for 1 week to kill the scabies.
- Avoid sharing undergarments, clothing, and towels.
- If you have had skin-to-skin contact with someone infested with scabies, consider treatment. Those with crusted scabies and their close contacts should be treated promptly.
- Environmental disinfection is unnecessary, but thorough vacuuming is recommended if someone with crusted scabies has used a space.
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| Treatment |
- See a healthcare provider for treatment with medicated creams or lotions, especially for children, pregnant women, and those with skin disorders.
- The family and close contacts should be treated at the same time since one can have scabies and not yet have symptoms. This will prevent re-infestation.
- Multiple courses of treatment may be required.
- Scabies is contagious until mites and eggs are destroyed by treatment.
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- American Academy of Pediatrics. (2023). Scabies. In: Shope TR, & Hashikawa, AD, eds. Managing infectious diseases in child care and schools: A quick reference guide, 6 th ed. Itasca, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics, p. 171-172.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. (2024-2027). Scabies. In: Kimberlin DW, Banerjee, R., Barnett, E., Lynfield, R., Sawyer, MH. eds. Red Book: 2024 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 33 rd ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; pp.750-752.
- Canadian Paediatric Society, Caring for Kids. (2021). Scabies. Retrieved from: https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/health-conditions-and-treatments/scabies
- Scabies (sarcoptic itch, sarcoptic acariasis). (2022). In: Heymann DL, ed. Control of Communicable Diseases Manual, 21st ed. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association. Alpha press; pp.568-571
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About Scabies. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/scabies/about/index.html
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Public Health Strategies for Scabies Outbreaks in Institutional Settings. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/scabies/php/public-health-strategy/index.html
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