Care and treatment of scabies

In these days of Universal Precautions, the staff nurse can and should work with all patients as if they had a potentially infectious disease. A case in point is scabies which mimics many dermatological conditions and is transmitted by direct contact. Scabies is caused by infestation with the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, and can be a problem in nursing homes and hospitals, particularly among patients who are debilitated and require extensive hands-on care. A scabies outbreak need not result in chaos or epidemic. If nursing staff are well trained in Universal Precautions, especially handwashing, much transmission could be prevented. Moreover, if scabies is recognized early, accurately documented, and quickly treated, a scabies outbreak could be readily contained.