Scabies strikes households
Four homes infested, but residents should not be too concerned
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, October 8, 2015
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Four households in Fort Simpson are being treated for scabies infestations.
An outbreak of scabies, pictured here, has hit Fort Simpson, according to the Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority. - photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
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On Oct. 5, the Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority confirmed scabies is in the community but could not pin down exact numbers for people infested.
Public health physician Kami Kandola said the health centre has had a large number of people come in to be examined for scabies but because houses in the North can be crowded, the exact number of people infested is difficult to determine.
The health centre anticipated being able to offer Nix Dermal Cream, a treatment for scabies, as soon as Oct. 7.
Kandola said community members who have not been infested do not need to worry about getting scabies from brief contact with infested persons. Handshakes and even hugs do not typically result in infestation
Prolonged skin-to-skin contact with infested persons does, however, create a high risk for contracting scabies. People living in infested households or with infected sexual partners are most likely to contract the condition.
"In and of itself, scabies does not cause any severe harm to the human, other than annoyance and irritation," Kandola said. "However, the nursing community wants to get rid of it in a very systematic manner. That's why we tell people to come in, get assessed, and then we treat them."
Kandola describes scabies as a "human itch mite."
Typically, there will be 10 to 15 mites per person, which burrow into the upper layer of skin to lay eggs.
Symptoms include a pimply rash and snake-like cracking along the skin accompanied by intense itching. Typically, that occurs between fingers, on wrists, elbows, armpits, genital areas or along the waistband.
Nix cream is applied to the affected area for 12 to 14 hours but Kandola said after the scabies die off itching can last an additional two weeks.
Likewise, people who get scabies for the first time can go weeks without showing symptoms, during which time they can still spread it to other people.
Bompas Elementary School principal Leanne Jose sent a letter to parents noting the school is aware of scabies in the community but that no cases have yet been reported at the school.
Kandola said schools should warn children not to share clothing, towels or other items that potentially could transfer the parasite.
"On the person, scabies can live as long as one or two months. But the beauty is, if you get the scabies off the person, they can't survive for more than two to three days," Kandola said.
To that end, infested households are normally treated all at once by running all bedding, towels and clothing through hot wash and dry cycles, or bagging the items and leaving them outside for five days. Both methods result in the death of the parasites.
"You have to do that systematically and throughout the household because if you just do one person, then you send them back, all that's going to happen is they get re-infested," Kandola said.
Community members who suspect they have been infested are encouraged to get checked out at the health centre.
