Tuesday 11 August 2015

What is difference between Norwegian Scabies and Scabies?

No! Scabies and Norwegian Scabies are entirely different from each other. In general, Norwegian scabies is a more critical type of scabies. But, they differ in all the aspects. Let’s learn more about scabies and Norwegian scabies.


Scabies v/s Norwegian Scabies – General Information

Scabies is a human skin infestation caused by the microscopic mite Sarcoptes scabiei. It is caused by infection with the female mite Sarcoptes scabiei. The female mites burrow into the skin to live for a few days and lay eggs. The eggs grow into the mites again and the entire cycle is repeated. The allergic reaction to these mites causes the symptoms of scabies. Only ten to fifteen mites are involved in an initial infection.

Norwegian scabies, also known as Crusted scabies, is a more severe form of scabies. People with low immune system are vulnerable to crusted scabies. Crusted scabies are highly contagious because of the large number of mites present under the skin.

Scabies v/s Norwegian Scabies – Who gets them?

Anybody can contract scabies. Since, it is highly contagious, even a normal handshake with an affectant can cause scabies in you. If you are in an area which is infected by scabies, you can get scabies. Crowded areas are more susceptible to causing scabies.

Scabies is transmitted through direct contacts like sitting near the patient, having sexual contact with an infected partner, and sometimes handshakes too.

Crusted scabies are even more contagious than regular scabies, the presence of thousands of mites being the prime reason. A patient with crusted scabies develops crusts that scrap off easily. If those scraps contain live mites and you come in contact with them, you’re likely to get scabies.

Other than the direct transmission just like with the regular scabies, indirect transmission is also possible in crusted scabies. If you use the infected properties of the patient like towels, linens, napkins, etc., there are chances that you too contract scabies soon.

Scabies v/s Norwegian Scabies – Symptoms
Scabies Mites

It takes time to develop signs and symptoms, after the mite burrows into the skin. A common symptom of scabies is severe itching during night. The itch can be so powerful that it keeps a person awake all night. Itching is followed by the rashes, generally due to the scratching of skin on itching. This rash causes little bumps that can look like hives, tiny bites, or pimples. Also, some people develop scaly patches that look like eczema. These rashes further can turn into soars that are highly infectious.

The symptoms of scabies usually occur on the moist skin areas like armpits, between the fingers, genitals, and back.

In case of Crusted scabies, thick crusts develop on the skin.  These crusts seem to be thick, crush easily when touched, and look grayish in color. These crusts offer home to 100s to 1,000s of mites and their eggs. The rash and itch become severe due to numerous mites burrowing in the skin.

The common body areas where crust occurs include blisters on the hands, feet, scalp, torso, and pressure-bearing areas such as the elbows.

Scabies v/s Norwegian Scabies – Treatment and Cure

If scabies is diagnosed on time, it is easy to cure it! To treat scabies, doctors recommend topical solutions like Permithrin, Dr. Scabies, to be applied all over the body two to three times a day.  However, the use of Permithrin has greatly reduced today as the mites can easily resist it, still doctors sometime recommend it for mild cases of scabies. Other than these topical cases, natural remedies like aloevera gel, tea oil, edible oil and neem oil can also be applied over the skin to get instant relief from itching and killing the mites.


Norwegian Scabies

In case of Crusted scabies, applying topical creams are not completely sufficient to get rid of myriads of mites under the skin. Earlier, a topical agent Lindane was most commonly preferred for treatment of crusted scabies in Western nations. But, due to the potential neurotoxicity in Lindane, it has now been banned in Australia and much of Europe. As such, oral medication of Ivermectin is also prescribed by the doctors, along with the topical creams to treat the patient of crusted scabies.

A similarity between scabies and Crusted Scabies

Besides all these contradictions, both of these infestations have one thing in common – Contact with the affectant and its belongings should be avoided strictly. In addition to this, the entire household things including clothes, furniture, linens, curtains, mattresses, etc. should either be washed and/or vacuumed twice a week to avoid further infestation.

1 comment:

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