scabies

scabies, skin inflammation accompanied by severe itching, particularly at night, caused by the itch mite (Sarcoptes scabiei, variety hominis). The mite passes from person to person by close contact. While scabies occurs worldwide, it is most common in areas that are affected by overcrowding and poverty, particularly in countries with tropical climates. The disease also afflicts many schoolchildren and residents of nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, with periodic epidemics occurring even among persons with strict...