Norwiegan scabes?

HM2VikingRN, RN · Apr 25, 2007

:rotfl: :roll :pumpiron: Everything Norwegian is tough....

TazziRN, RN · Apr 25, 2007

:rotfl: :roll :pumpiron: Everything Norwegian is tough....

Gee......wonder what your ethnicity is............ :lol2:

Rock, LPN, RN · Apr 25, 2007

Having worked in a derm ward for ten (10) years, I can tell you something about scabies.

They are found in the interdigital spaces of fingers, wrists, abdomen and buttocks.

One appliction of cream from neck to feet usually kills these microscopic mites. Follow with a second application in one week.

I had to cream the backs of these patients and never contracted a case of scabies. We had usually one young patient each day with this condition. Patients experience a great deal of pruritus. Sometimes you can see tunnels on the abdomen where they burrow under the skin, but not the mites themselves.

Good Luck !

:monkeydance:

Billy Shears · Apr 25, 2007

here's a bit from a study journal i did on scabies. 'norwegian scabies' is mentioned towards the end:

hope it helps!

the main symptoms of scabies are caused by an immune response to the mites and their saliva or faeces. itching, particularly at night, is the most common presenting symptom. itching is most intense when the person is in bed. it usually develops 2-6 weeks after initial infestation, and coincides with the appearance of a rash. however, symptoms can appear within a few hours if the person is re-infested (owing to prior sensitization to the mite and its saliva and faeces).

the rash is usually made up of small, red papules, but vesicles or a nodular reaction may also be seen. the rash is usually most obvious on the inside of the thighs, the axillae, the periumbilical region, the buttocks, and the genitals. there are also signs of 'tracking' , minute zig zag lines under the skin where the mite has burrowed.

occasionally, crusted scabies develops. this form of the disease is resistant to routine treatment and can be a source of continued reinfestation and spread to others (walker & johnstone, 2003). crusted (hyperkeratotic or norwegian) scabies is a different clinical manifestation of scabies that occurs in people with an impaired immune response. hyperkeratotic, crusted lesions are usually seen on the hands, feet, nails, scalp, and ears. crusted scabies may not cause itching, or may occasionally mimic eczema or psoriasis. crusted scabies is highly contagious. an immunocompetent individual carries only about 12 female scabies mites; however, an immunocompromised host can have thousands to millions of mites. outbreaks of scabies in institutions can often be traced to one index case of crusted scabies.

ref:

walker, g., & johnstone, p., (2003) scabies - background information london, bmj. online, accessed 12.3.05. (

http://www.clinicalevidence.com/ceweb/conditions/skd/1707/1707_background.jsp)

HONEYIS2CUTE · Apr 25, 2007

Hey guys i recently had a problem where i work someone had scabies, my male boss was telling me, what is it can it be infectous, they thought she had something but no ones sure what is was, i had to wash my hands, i think they know know,

but what can u do in that situation i am a nursing aide assistant in nursing i need to know what to do if one of my clients has scabies, its just it was all over her face

honey22

all4schwa · Apr 25, 2007

What a mess!! My heart goes out to you and everyone involved, distasterous!

This stuff is wicked. I think they could survive a nuclear holocaust, they are heartier than cockroaches. The patient came in with skin that looked as custed and color of a rhino(she was admitted to icu post-op perforated ulcer and did I mention she weighed 400 pounds). Her skin was cracked and bleeding and her hands and feet were so encrusted that they looked like they were about to explode. The family said she had been to dematologist that had biopsied this but could not find out what it was. The whole family had been treated for scabes in the past but no one thought to treat the patient (the source in this case).
Needless to say she was in ICU 2 days when the staff was becoming infested, outbreaks of an unknown rash were reported in the ER (where she came in) and from the lab techs. Finally our Infectous Disease doc was consulted and at first glance told us what it was. Now the hospital is on internal disaster, all the ICU staff is being treated and can not come back to work until 7 days, all the ICU patients had to be treated and moved out leaving the source patient the only one in the unit. All of our families have now been exposed and hard to tell how many more people will need treated. The health department is involved. Is there really any way to stop this stuff is my biggest concern, the patient was majorly infested and I can't imagine how we are going to get her rid of them. Has anyone else even heard of them?

PsychRN-Kris · Apr 25, 2007

Okay...so I'm itching all over like crazy now after reading about this!

Seriously though, so sorry you've had to go through this...hang in there. :)

CHATSDALE · Apr 25, 2007

knew a nurse with a persistant genital itch, she said she had had it for over a year...went to gyn w/o help..went to a dermotolgist same thing

when her son's school had a head lice outbreak they had to get kwell for everyone in family..she bathed with and never had another problem with the itch...must have been something in the scabie family..

usa docs don't see it and so they don't recognize it or they misdiagnose

burn out · Apr 28, 2007

Just an update on the scabes. Our unit has now been closed down for 1 week, 19 ICU staff members have contacted the mite (yours truly included),and several other hospital staff in other departments. The patient was finally stable enough to move to a decontamination room on the floor yesterday and the rest of the unit is being cleaned over the week-end. I just don't know who is clean enough to return to work yet..we are still on internal disaster. My second treatment is not due until Monday but I found 2 new suspicous places on my leg this morning. The patient has received three treatments this week and looks much better but is in constant itching..the ID doc says she will continue to need treatment for at least 6 more weeks and anyone that cares for her will also continue to need treamtent for that length of time. If anyone is looking to invest some money you might consider Elimite..the demand ins going up quickly it takes 9 tubes each time to cover her body.

snapdragon928 · Apr 29, 2007

wash your furniture too and carpets, like when you have lice. Or vacuem well. Oh don't forget your vehicles too.

Indy, LPN, LVN · Apr 29, 2007

I would suggest washing bed linens in hot water, then put 'em in a clean trash bag and tie it up for a week or so. I realize if you're caring for this patient and looking at 6 weeks of treatment you could run out of bed linens! And your poor mattress! May as well throw out the mattress and box spring when this is done, and get new ones.