How should a house scabies mite be treated? - briefly
Apply a prescription scabicide—commonly 5 % permethrin cream—over the whole body, leave it on for 8–14 hours, and repeat the application after seven days. Simultaneously, wash all bedding and clothing in hot water, dry at high temperature, and vacuum carpets and upholstery to eradicate any surviving mites.
How should a house scabies mite be treated? - in detail
Effective management of a domestic scabies mite infestation requires a coordinated approach that addresses both the patient and the environment.
First, confirm the diagnosis through clinical examination and, when necessary, microscopic identification of mites, eggs, or fecal pellets from skin scrapings. Accurate identification prevents unnecessary treatment and guides appropriate drug selection.
Pharmacologic therapy for the affected individual includes:
- Topical 5 % permethrin cream applied to the entire body from the neck down, left on for 8–14 hours, then washed off; repeat after 7 days to eliminate newly hatched mites.
- Oral ivermectin 200 µg/kg as a single dose, repeated after 7 days; consider a third dose for severe or crusted cases.
- Alternative topical agents such as benzyl benzoate or sulfur ointment for patients unable to tolerate permethrin.
Adjunct measures to prevent reinfestation:
- Wash all bedding, clothing, and towels in hot water (≥ 60 °C) and dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes.
- Seal items that cannot be washed in sealed plastic bags for a minimum of 72 hours, depriving mites of a host.
- Vacuum carpets, upholstered furniture, and mattresses thoroughly; discard vacuum bags immediately.
- Treat all household members simultaneously, regardless of symptom presence, to interrupt transmission cycles.
Monitoring and follow‑up:
- Re‑evaluate skin lesions after the second treatment cycle; persistent burrows may indicate treatment failure or resistance.
- Advise patients to avoid scratching to reduce secondary bacterial infection risk; prescribe topical antibiotics if bacterial superinfection occurs.
Education:
- Inform patients about the mite’s life cycle—egg, larva, nymph, adult—and the necessity of completing the full treatment regimen to target all stages.
- Emphasize the importance of environmental decontamination to achieve lasting eradication.
By combining proven pharmacologic agents with rigorous hygiene protocols and comprehensive household treatment, the infestation can be resolved efficiently and recurrence minimized.