Scabies
Written by: Waheeda Sabir
Scabies is an itchy and contagious skin disease caused by an infestation by the itch mite. AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some patients and a physician about this disease.
Zuhra, a resident of Nangarhar province says: “small red rashes appeared on my skin and I suffer from itching of these rashes.”
Amanullah, a resident of Parwan province says: “some red spots appeared on my skin. I am more suffering from itching during the night and when I scratch them, the blood comes out the pimples.”
Doctor Abdul Ghafar Hamdard, a dermatologist and a trainer of trainees in Maiwand hospital, Kabul city says: “The most common sign of scabies is itching, especially during the night when the patient falls asleep, and when he/she gets warm, the itch increases so much that the patient is forced to walk, and even take a shower of cold water. If not treated on time, scabies might cause some other skin disease too.”
What do people think about the causes of scabies?
Faizullah, a resident of Paghman district, Kabul province says: “I have heard the name of scabies but I do not know about the causes of this disease.”
Zuhra says: “We live together in a single house. This disease infested me at first and then it transmitted to my grandmother, my mother and later to other members of my family.”
Shafiqullah, a resident of Takhar province says: “I study in a madrasa, and as there a large number of students study in one class, scabies transmitted to me from someone else in the class.”
Doctor Hamdard says: “When the skin reacts to the mite, an extremely itchy rash develops and causes to the person to be infested by scabies. Scabies is spread by skin-to-skin contact with a person who has scabies. Scabies sometimes also could be spread by contact with items such as clothing, bedding, or towels that have been used by a person with scabies. This disease is most common in hot weather.”
How do people treat scabies?
Amanullah says: “we grind fumitory and rub on scabies and it causes to reduce the itches.”
A woman from Farza district, Kabul province says: “when we infest with scabies, we take bath with cold water regularly and we wear cotton clothes.”
Doctor Hamdard says: “scabies a contagious disease. Cold water bath could reduce the itch but could not treat the disease, the patients must go to the doctor or a hospital for essential treatment.”