The Timeline Of a Scabies Infestation
When scabies is encountered for the first time, the symptoms may appear several weeks after infestation. This makes the condition harder to detect. Yet, the mites can spread during this time.
After the infestation with the parasitic mites, the body will develop certain sensitivity to the mites, eggs and their secretions. This process takes a few weeks and after it is done, the human body will start developing allergic reactions to the scabies causing itching. If treated properly, the mites are killed and the itching will gradually decrease and vanish. Doctors recommend that children stay home only for the period of the treatment, until the mites are killed, period that lasts for a few days.
Eggs may hatch and re-infest the skin of a person if the treatment didn't also eradicate them. The symptoms may appear again and the condition will relapse. Scabies will not disappear on its own, without a proper treatment. the only mites that disappear on their own are those transmitted by animals.
Re – infestation
In the case of re – infestation with the scabies mites, the symptoms will show immediately because the human body has already encountered sensitivity to the actions and substances of the mites. In rare cases, the allergic reactions themselves kill the scabies but normally, a treatment is required.
Complications of scabies
The skin can be broken by a serious round of scratching to relieve the itchy sensation and thus, a second infection of the skin, such as impetigo, may appear. Another complication may be the folliculitis (infection of hair follicles). In those cases, the treatment has to include antibiotics too.
Persistent scratching will make the skin thick, red and scaly.
In rare cases, usually in those of patients with impaired immune system, the crusted scabies (Norwegian) appears. This is a severe form of scabies. While in normal healthy people an infestation gathers 10 to 15 mites, in some cases of HIV positive patients, the infestation may be as severe as gathering tens of thousands of mites.