In scabies, tiny mites, almost impossible to see without a magnifying glass, cause severe itching. Usually, the itching is worse at night. Found worldwide among all groups of people and at all ages, they often infest an entire family. Scabies is highly contagious and is spread by close physical contact and, less often, by sharing clothing or bed sheets with an infested person. Canine scabies can be transmitted from dogs to humans.

Signs and Symptoms

• Itching at night;
• Thin, pencil-like lines on your skin.

The Diagnosis

Scabies prefer to burrow into certain areas of the skin, such as between your fingers, in your armpits, around your waist, along the insides of your wrists, on the back of your elbows, on your ankles and soles of the feet. They form a characteristic burrow that looks like a thin, irregular pencil mark.

Your physician will look for such a burrow and will remove the mite located at the end of one to confirm the diagnosis. Although not serious, scabies is very annoying.