Scabies was found in approximately 10 percent of patients coming to the outpatient clinic.

Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University (NKÜ) Faculty of Medicine, Head of Department of Skin and Venereology, Prof. Dr. Sema Aytekin said that scabies has a cure and is not a disease transmitted by short-term contact.

PATIENTS GO TO THE HOSPITAL WITH ITCHING

Stating that scabies cannot be easily transmitted by shaking hands or sitting next to each other, Aytekin said, “Contamination occurs especially among family members through long-term contact, especially sleeping in the same bed, using the same items. Therefore, the society should not be too afraid. It starts as night itching, daytime itching can be tolerated, but After the patient goes to bed, itching becomes evident. Patients come with itching. They may have itching all over their body or they may have received incomplete treatments before. There may be itchy lesions in a few areas. We can say that approximately 10 percent of the patients coming to the polyclinic are patients with scabies, but sometimes this frequency can increase more. Percentage “If we consider the family members of the 10 patients we consider, we can say that the frequency of scabies is actually increasing in our society. In some of our outpatient clinics, it has reached 30 percent,” he said.

“IT IS IMPORTANT TO RESTRICT THE USE OF COMMON ITEMS”

Explaining the ways of transmission of the disease, Aytekin said, “In order to prevent the disease from being transmitted, we need to restrict the use of common items. Nowadays, the use of common towels and the cleaning of the sheets are important. The parasite that causes this scabies loses its vitality in about 10 minutes at 50 degrees. In other words, the bedding on which a person with scabies was previously sleeping is actually at 50 degrees.” If it is washed, the possibility of infection will decrease. It is very important to use the medications prescribed by physicians in treatments. Nowadays, with the widespread use of social media, non-drug treatments, traditional treatments, and herbal oils are on the agenda in treatment. Some herbal oils can be added to the treatment of scabies. For example, tea tree oil can be added to the treatment, but it is sufficient for treatment alone. “It is not. It is necessary to use the medications prescribed by the physicians and the treatment recommended by the physicians,” he said.

“DOMESTIC TROUBLE”

Prof. said that it is not possible for children to transmit scabies by hugging each other. Dr. Aytekin said, “Children also have it now, but it is unlikely to be transmitted through contact with children or children coming into contact with each other. It is not transmitted by hugging for a short time, but it can be transmitted by hanging clothes side by side or by contact for a long time with a very low probability. In fact, it is transmitted by contact within the family. The important point is that family members may experience itching.” “Even if it is not the case, everyone must be treated at the same time, on the same day. When treated at different times, infections within the family may occur again and again,” he said.

Prof. Dr. Aytekin noted that it would be appropriate to stay away for a few days due to scabies seen in stray and domestic animals and said, “There is a scabies parasite specific to each species. Humans, cats and dogs are different parasites. It does not cause disease, but the scabies parasite can survive in the external environment for about 48-72 hours. That’s why If scabies is transmitted from a dog to a human, it causes itching for about 2-3 days. Then it goes away, but this is important: If family members have scabies and have a dog at home, we ask them to reduce contact with their dogs for 2-3 days. Because their own scabies parasites can get into their fur and become infected again. In this respect, we recommend cleaning of belongings. We tell patients, ‘Wash your belongings at 50 degrees, iron them, and if you cannot do this, keep woolen, nylon clothes, or your bag, shoes, slippers, etc. in a closed bag for about 1 week. Because sometimes, if the scabies parasite falls out along with human skin residues, “It can live a little longer than 48-72 hours. We extend it up to 1 week, so keep your belongings closed in the bag for 1 week,” he said.

“QUARANTINE IS NOT A QUESTION”

Saying that quarantine is not possible in scabies, Aytekin said, “But the application of medicines requires effort. Some medicines can be smelly. People can stay at home as long as the medicine is applied, this is a maximum of 3 days. After using the medicine for 3 days, the parasites will already be dead. Only their eggs will remain. This is 3 days.” After the day, if he is a child, he can go to school, if he is an adult, he can go to work. After a week, he will only need to use the treatment again for 3 consecutive days, according to this medicine. Not every itch is scabies, many diseases can cause itching. In scabies, itching, especially at night, is evident. We first tell a patient who comes with itching, ‘ ‘Do you itch at night?’ ‘ we ask. Then ‘Is anyone else in the family itchy?’ “We ask. Because it is a disease that is transmitted to family members,” he said.

Read more!