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Ms. List
25 November 2013
Anatomy and Physiology
Original Title
Itching has always been a bothersome problem and distraction to people, regardless of
age, sex, heritage, and the like. Itching is caused by the human body being in slight pain or
discomfort; such sensations can be caused by weather conditions, injuries, or even living
organisms. But what types of organisms have this effect on the human body? Insects could prove
to be a prevalent answer, specifically a type of mite. This particular mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, or
Scabies, is a common infestation of tiny mites that burrow into the skin, thus the cause of the
irritating itch. Scabies can prove to be quite a nuisance if left unchecked, but with the proper
diagnosis and treatment, the infestation can vanish quickly.
The mite known as Scabies can be spread around in a myriad of ways, such as bed sheets,
sharing of towels, close contact with an individual with the aforementioned disease, skin-to-skin
contact, and so forth. Essentially, any type of prolonged close contact with a person afflicted
with scabies could result in the healthy individual becoming victim to the disease as well.
Common places of scabies outbreaks are areas such as nursing homes, prisons, childcare centers,
and other types of extended-care facilities. The main problem associated with this skin disease is
intense itching or a very strong urge to itch the skin. These problems are caused by the
microscopic mite infestation known as scabies. The mites burrow into and under the top layer of
skin (causing the itching) where they then live, feed, and bury their eggs. The itching has been
said to be most intense in the area where the burrowing under the skin takes place. Such a
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process would undoubtedly be bound to hurt and/or irritate someone or a group of people
immensely.
Incubation periods as well as symptoms can vary in different individuals. For instance, if
an individual has had this mite before, detection of the mites and symptoms could be detected in
as few as one to four days, whereas one who has never had scabies could be symptom-free or
roughly one to even four weeks. Some signs and symptoms of scabies are a rash, bumps, blisters,
and an intense urge or need to itch the body in the afflicted area. Some ways the mites can be
detected is by finding said mite, usually by putting a needle into one of the burrows in the skin,
or simply scraping some skin off and placing it under a microscope for examination. Some
effects scabies offers the human body is an intense, almost unbearable urge to itch the areas
where the burrows have been made; this urge is especially prevalent during the nighttime. Even
if an individual does not have mites, mite eggs, or even mite fecal matter on the skin, the
individual should still be considered contagious.
Luckily, most cases of scabies are considered far from life-threatening, especially due to
the readiness of lotions and other products available for purchase with a doctor’s prescription in
order to combat and kill the mites. The medications and lotions that can be used against scabies
tend to be called scabicides, for they kill the mites – some lotions kill the eggs as well. While
mites are killed after the scabicide is applied, the itching may last for a few more weeks because
the skin needs to repair itself. The only way scabies could be prevented is by staying out of close
contact with people who have contracted the disease, or just be sure to clean bed sheets, clothes,
and other personal belongings frequently and thoroughly. There are no long-term consequences
for scabies, nor is the skin condition terminal; on a human host, scabies can only live for roughly
one to two months, while without a host, they can only live for two to three days. Some scarring
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could possibly be form, but only if the mite digs deep enough into the skin or a large infestation
has made its home on an unlucky individual’s body.
In conclusion, scabies can prove to be a very irritating skin disease if the correct actions
and precautions are not taken. With the proper diagnosis as well as the proper scabicide, the mite
infestation could be gone in as soon as a few days, but the itching will remain for a week or two
– the damage to the skin has already been done, but it will heal in time. Scabies is not a crippling
nor life-threatening disease, simply a microscopic mite that really enjoys living in and eating
human skin.