Causes of scabies

Scabies is a contagious skin condition caused by a tiny mite called Sarcoptes scabiei. The female mite burrows into the top layer of the skin to lay eggs, and the body reacts to the mites, their eggs and their waste with intense itching. It is not caused by poor hygiene, and it can affect anyone.

How scabies spreads

• Prolonged skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, such as sleeping in the same bed, caring for a sick relative or close play between children.
• Sexual contact.
• Less often, sharing clothes, towels or bedding that were used by an infected person very recently. The mite survives away from the skin for only about two to three days.
• It does not spread through brief contact like a handshake, and it is not carried by pets. Animal mites cause only a short-lived itch in people.

Who is at higher risk

• People living in crowded places, such as hostels, shelters, prisons and care homes.
• Children in schools and nurseries.
• Family members and partners of someone with scabies.
• Elderly people and those with weak immunity, who may get a severe crusted form.
• People in warm, humid and overcrowded settings with limited access to clean water.

Why itching starts late The first time you get scabies, itching begins four to six weeks after infection, as the body develops an allergic response. During this time, you can spread it without knowing. If you get it again, symptoms start within a few days.

Ayurvedic view (interpretive) Ayurveda describes scabies-like skin disease as pama or kandu-related kushtha, linked with aggravated Kapha and Pitta and impure blood. This is a traditional framework, not a medical explanation.

Remember Scabies is common, curable and not a sign of being unclean. Everyone in close contact usually needs treatment at the same time.