What is contagious Norwegian scabies?

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A case of scabies was detected on Thursday (17/10) in a student from the 3rd special primary school in Chania, which caused the school to be closed. In fact, as the laboratory tests showed, it is “Norwegian scabies“, a rather serious type of the disease that causes itching and skin lesions, with pimples and rashes.

As it is a contagious disease, the relevant health protocols were immediately activated and the school was closed and Chania municipality cleaners immediately carried out a thorough cleaning, followed by disinfection.

What is Psora?

Scabies is a fairly common contagious infection where a painful itch and rash develops on the surface of the skin. It is caused by the scabies mite, a tiny parasite that lives and reproduces in tunnels in the stratum corneum called Sarcoptes scabiei var. Hominis.

Symptoms of Scabies

Scabies can appear anywhere on the body. However, mites often infest the interdigital folds, the sides of the fingers, the surface of the wrists, the area around the elbows, the waist, the armpits and the skin around the nipples of women.

Also, there is a high probability that the signs of scabies will appear on the face, abdomen, genitals, as well as in the area of ​​the thighs and buttocks. In children under two years of age, the palms, soles, head and cheeks are often affected.

Typical scabies

This is the most common type of infection, in which an itchy rash appears mainly on the hands and wrists, without affecting the face or scalp.

Nodular scabies

It manifests as itching, raised masses and mainly affects the genitals, groin area and armpits.

Norwegian scabies

Norwegian scabies is a more severe and highly contagious form of the disease, with an increased parasite load, which usually occurs in immunocompromised or elderly or debilitated or disabled people, with extensive presence of skin lesions (extensive presence of scald-hyperkeratotic plaques , concentrated” crushes”, scales).

In the case of Norwegian scabies (which is a much more contagious form), transmission can occur even with brief skin-to-skin contact, e.g. a short handshake with the sufferer.

Thus, in the case of Norwegian scabies, contact (“close”) is defined as direct skin-to-skin contact with the sufferer for any duration, even short, or with objects (clothing, bedding, mattresses, towels, furniture, carpets, floors) that have been used by the victim or may be contaminated by parts of the skin (scratches, scales, scales) that have fallen from the victim in places where he lived or had he visited.

In this context, the following are recommended for Norwegian scabies:

  • Total avoidance of synchronization and the stay of the person suffering from Norwegian scabies in a specific isolation area, until complete treatment and the end of the contagious period (until it is considered no longer contagious). In order to do this, it is necessary to provide and organize a separate room/space to stay – in suitable isolation conditions – for a person suffering from Norwegian scabies.
  • Prophylactic treatment it should be given simultaneously to everyone who may have had contact with the person who suffered from Norwegian scabies or with things he used (see above for definition of contact) and corresponding measures should be taken to adopt in relation to their clothing and bedding (see below). .
  • avoid contact with the patient, skin to skin until the attending physician determines that the patient is no longer contagious and avoids contact with objects used by the patient.
  • Use protective measures: gloves, protective apron/gown and protective shoe covers when in contact with the person suffering from Norwegian scabies and with the objects used by the person in the last seven days before the start of their treatment, eg clothes, towels, bed linen, mattresses. Washing hands after every contact with the patient or with things he has used.
  • Strict and thorough environmental measures: the patient’s bedding and clothing should be collected and carried in a plastic bag and deposited immediately in the washing machine to avoid contamination of other objects and surfaces. Clothes and bedding should be washed in a washing machine at high temperature (> 50 ° C for at least 10 minutes) and tumble dried. Laundry personnel should wear a protective apron and gloves when handling contaminated clothing/bedding.

Also, clothing and bedding used by the patient’s contacts (those who have received prophylactic treatment) in the last seven days prior to treatment should be washed in a washing machine and dried at a high temperature.

Furniture or other items used by the affected person should be vacuumed and covered with a cover (eg plastic) for seven days.

Regular cleaning and vacuuming of the patient’s ward/room is necessary to remove infectious parts of the skin (wounds, scales) that may contain many mites. Also, the room needs to be cleaned and vacuumed thoroughly when the person with Norwegian scabies is moved to another area, before another person uses the area.

Treatment

Treatment is usually by timely application of anti-psoriasis parasiticide formulations.

The anti-psoriasis skin treatment should be left on the body for the recommended time period before being removed with a cleansing bath, and clean clothing and bedding should be used after the treatment.

Depending on the anti-psoriasis preparation used, continuous smears/applications may be necessary, according to the instructions for use of the preparation and the instructions of the attending physician.

Prophylactic treatment must also be taken by everyone who is considered to be in close contact with the sufferers, at the same time as the sufferers.

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