Need to know
Cases of the highly contagious Victorian disease scabies have spiked in the UK by almost 20 per cent, as top dermatologists warn that ‘misinformation’ is making people miss the disease
Everything you need to know as cases of highly contagious Victorian disease scabies soar across UK
- Experts have issued a warning about scabies as cases across the UK have soared according to recent data, with top dermatologists saying many are likely to miss the highly contagious disease due to “misinformation” and a lack of understanding.
- Just under 900 cases of scabies have been reported across England by GPs, almost 20 per cent more than the same period in the year before. Annual increases of the disease were also recorded by the UK Health Security Agency between 2021 and 2025, with a significant spike in 2023.
- Scabies is spread between people by skin-to-skin contact, meaning that those in an intimate relationship, or those living in shared housing or who are members of a sports team are most at risk. According to Professor Tess McPherson, associate professor of paediatric health and adolescent dermatology at the University of Oxford, those most commonly hit by the disease are those living in “group facilities such as university halls or care homes.”
- One potential reason behind the spike in cases could be partially explained by students returning to university after the break, back to their shared living facilities, according to Professor McPherson. She added: “We don’t know for certain what is driving the cases up, but factors include delays in diagnosis, delays in beginning treatment, and unnecessary stigma meaning people feel embarrassed to share their diagnosis. People not using the treatments to full effect can also lead to reinfection.”
- Scabies symptoms include intense itching, especially at night, and a raised rash or spots. According to the NHS, the spots may look red, and can be more difficult to see on darker complexions, but the health service says “you should be able to feel them”.
- The rash is caused by microscopic mites living in the skin, which burrow down and reproduce. The rash itself occurs when the mites burrow into the skin and lay eggs. The mites measure around 0.4mm in diameter, which makes them invisible to the human eye, and can burrow around 2.5cm, or the length of a fingertip, underneath the skin.
- Often, the rash starts between the fingers, and is then able to spread anywhere across the body, producing tiny red or dark spots. According to the NHS, the rash usually does not spread to the head and neck, often affecting skin between the fingers, around the wrists, under the arms, and around the waist, groin and bottom. However, older people and young children may develop a rash on their head, neck, palms and soles of their feet.
- Treatment for scabies involves applying permethrin cream, which is applied across the entire body, including the scalp and face (apart from the area around your eyes). This is then left on for 12 hours, and reapplied 7 days later to kill any remaining eggs. The NHS says everyone in the home needs to be treated at the same time, even if they do not have symptoms as scabies is very infectious but can take up to 8 weeks for the rash to appear. Children under 2 need to see a GP.
- To reduce the risk of rabies spreading through the household, the NHS advises to wash all bedding and clothing in the house at 60C orhigher, and if possible, in a hot dryer, on the first day of treatment. Any clothing that cannot be washed should be put in a sealed bag for at least three days until the mites die. Sharing bedding, clothing and towels should be avoided and the NHS says those with scabies should not have sex or close physical contact until treatment is complete.
- Mites can survive for up to 36 hours outside the body, and only 10 females are needed to cause a significant outbreak. If not properly treated, scabies can hang around for months or even years as the mites continue to reproduce in the skin.
READ THE FULL STORY: Victorian disease scabies cases surge in UK with families easy prey
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