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Scabies

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Sarcoptes scabiei

Treatment:

Prescription medicated creams are commonly used to treat scabies infections. Such products are applied all over the body. It may be necessary to treat the whole family or sexual partners of infected individuals, even if no symptoms are present.

For difficult cases, some health care providers may also prescribe medication taken by mouth to kill the scabies mites.

Itching may persist after treatment begins, but will disappear if treatment continues exactly as your health care provider prescribes. Itching can be minimized by cool soaks and calamine lotion. Your doctor may additionally recommend an oral antihistamine.

Expectations (prognosis):

Most cases of scabies can be cured and resolve without any long term problems.

Complications:

A secondary skin infection such as impetigo can occur because of intense scratching.

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of scabies, or if someone with whom you have close (not necessarily sexual) contact has been diagnosed with scabies.

• Review Date: 10/17/2006
• Reviewed By: Michael S. Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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