Scabies and crusted scabies
Scabies is a skin condition caused by tiny mites called Sarcoptes scabiei. These mites burrow under your skin and lay eggs, which can cause intense itching. This itchiness comes from your body's reaction to the mites' waste and other substances.
Most people have about 10 to 15 mites on their body, but in severe cases called crusted scabies, thousands of mites can be present. This can happen when a person's immune system is weak due to illness, but in some cases, there may be no clear immune problems.
Scabies is endemic in many Aboriginal communities in northern Australia, affecting up to 25% of people in some areas, with an even higher prevalence in young children (up to 35%).
Notifiable disease
Crusted scabies is a notifiable disease.
Information for health professionals
| Type | Resource | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Document | Public health management of crusted scabies guideline DOCX (1.1 MB) | NT Health |
| Document | Healthy Skin Program: Guidelines for community control of scabies, skin sores, tinea and crusted scabies in the Northern Territory | NT Health |
| Document | Scabies fact sheet PDF (202.6 KB) | NT Health |
| Document | Visual fact sheet for contacts of crusted scabies PDF (662.3 KB) | NT Health |
| Videos | Crusted scabies and hospital story | One Disease |
| Link | Simple, Complicated and Crusted Scabies NT Health Guideline | NT Health |
| Tropical Health Orientation Manual for health practitioners in Northern Australia | Scabies and crusted scabies | Centre for Remote Health |
| Alert | Medicine Shortage – Topical Scabicidal Treatments PDF (681.7 KB) | NT Health |
Exclusion periods for schools and daycares
There is a minimum period of exclusion from school, pre-school or childcare for children or educators with this infectious disease.
Get a copy of the time out minimum periods of exclusion.
Contact
Contact the Public Health Unit’s Centre for Disease Control.
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