Scabies: histological study of inflammatory lesions

Histological findings of the inflammatory lesions of scabies are distinctive enough to guide the pathologist in the direction of this diagnosis. It is characterized by a combination of an acute, vesicular, eczematous type of epidermal change and an erythema multiforme type of dermal reaction. When this combination is present, a search should be made to expose the organism in tissue sections or in scrapings of the cutaneous lesions.