One of the most prevalent misconceptions about scabies is that this irritating skin condition only affects young children or elderly people living in poorly run nursing homes. But scabies can affect anyone from any walk of life. However, some people are undeniably more at risk of contracting scabies than others.
If you live with a chronic, long-term illness, you may be particularly vulnerable to contracting scabies and more likely to develop serious symptoms. As a consequence, anybody who suffers from chronic illness should take extra care to look out for the signs of scabies and seek treatment from a professional dermatology service if scabies should occur.
What Are Scabies?
Scabies is a rash that is caused by a species of mite, and these mites burrow their way into the top layer of human skin in search of a safe place to lay their eggs. The irritation and skin damage caused by these burrowing mites provokes an allergic reaction, causing the affected area(s) of skin to become red, bumpy, and blistered. The affected patches of skin are frequently intensely itchy, especially at night.
Scabies mites spread from person to person via prolonged, skin-to-skin contact or by hiding in the fibers of bedsheets, towels, and clothing until a human comes into contact with them.
Why Are People with Chronic Illnesses More Likely to Contract Scabies?
If you have a chronic condition that causes frequent or prolonged periods of serious illness, you may spend much of your time in an assisted living facility or in long-term hospital care. Because many people often share the bedsheets and towels in these facilities, you may be more likely to contract scabies during long-term treatment, especially if the facility is relatively crowded.
You may also be more at risk of contracting scabies if you need help from carers or medical professionals to perform day-to-day tasks, such as getting out of bed or going to the bathroom. If your caregiver is infested with scabies mites, they may unknowingly pass the mites on to you while helping you perform these tasks. This is particularly likely if your caregiver(s) also help other people living in your home or healthcare facility.
How Can Chronic Illnesses Make Scabies More Serious?
Cases of scabies can be more serious in people who have chronic illnesses that affect their immune system. If you have a weakened immune system, your body’s natural defenses may not be able to fight off the mites, allowing them to breed more rapidly, and the skin damage and allergic reactions caused by the mites can be much more severe.
People with chronic illnesses that weaken their immune system, or who take medications that weaken the immune system (such as steroids), are more like to develop a severe form of scabies, known as crusted or Norwegian scabies.
Crusted scabies causes the affected skin to develop thick crusts of damaged, scabbed tissue, and can leave the sufferer more vulnerable to developing serious secondary infections. Crusted scabies is also more infectious, and patches of skin affected by crusted scabies may contain millions of individual scabies mites.
How Should People with Chronic Illnesses Treat Scabies?
It goes without saying that you don’t want microscopic mites burrowing under your skin, and people who have a chronic illness should visit a reputable dermatology clinic if they notice any symptoms that may indicate scabies. Scabies can be difficult to diagnose, and frequently resemble other skin conditions common in people who are chronically ill (such as dermatitis), so having the problem professionally diagnosed is essential.
Fortunately, scabies can be treated effectively and relatively easily once it is diagnosed. Your dermatologist can prescribe you medicated creams and lotions that will kill the scabies mites and help to repair the skin damage they cause. If you develop crusted scabies, or your scabies does not respond to topical treatments, you can also take more powerful oral medications to eliminate the mites.
If you have any more questions about how scabies can affect people with chronic illnesses, contact the professional dermatologists at Advanced Dermatology & Skin Cancer Specialists.
