Available 24/7, 365 Days/Year
877-927-2521
About Scabies
About Scabies
Mites are tiny creatures that are less than a millimeter in size. They can be found just about everywhere and can cause plenty of harm to you and your family. One of the most common problems they cause is scabies.
What is scabies?
Scabies is a disease that’s spread by mites, and it’s often recognized because of the rashes it leaves on a person’s body. This disease isn’t all that dangerous, so there’s no need to worry even if you have it.
What are the symptoms of scabies?
In addition to the rashes mentioned above, scabies can also cause severe itching. This itching is tolerable during the day, but it becomes much worse once the sun goes down.
People who have scabies will also see blisters and bumps appearing on their bodies. These will usually be in a straight line or path. Adults can see these bumps all over their bodies. But these marks are most common on their waist, armpits, and the soles of their feet.
What causes scabies?
Mites are responsible for scabies, but how exactly do they spread it?
Well, it turns out that scabies is caused by female mites. These small eight-legged creatures burrow their way under your skin where they lay their eggs.
These eggs remain under your skin until they hatch into larvae. These larvae then make their way onto the surface of the skin where they start gathering food and leaving their waste on your skin. Once they mature, these mites can start laying their own eggs, thus continuing the cycle.
While it’s the burrowing that leaves behind the marks, the itching results from the body’s rejection of the eggs and waste.
How is scabies spread?
Scabies doesn’t spread like most other diseases. It’s not spread by viruses or bacteria. Instead, it’s passed on to other people by the mites themselves. These mites are able to reproduce and spread very quickly, making scabies a very contagious disease.
While mere proximity is enough to spread it, there are plenty of other things that help the mites get around more quickly. These involve sharing clothes, bedding, towels, or other fabrics. That’s why individuals who get scabies will quickly spread it to their entire household, which is why doctors will ask everyone to come to be treated, even if they don’t have symptoms.
What to do if you have scabies?
Once you have the symptoms mentioned above, you should definitely consider going to a doctor to be treated. This is the fastest way to get rid of the itching, and it could also prevent more dangerous infections.
In addition to that, there are a number of things you can do to prevent or stop the spread of scabies. The best of these is to frequently wash and clean your fabrics in hot water. This quickly kills off the mites before they can spread. Just make sure to follow it up by drying your fabrics with high heat.
Finally, make sure to seal up any un-washable items in plastic or an airtight container. This will get rid of the mites by starving them to death.
Pest Control Professional
Pest Information is a non-profit organization, offers pest control resources, as well as bug and insect pictures, information, facts, and more.
Newsletter
Recent Posts
Catagories
Categories
202-555-0142
