Health issues are often rife during the winter months, but doctors are becoming increasingly concerned about a 'medieval' illness which is regularly misdiagnosed.
While it might not be quite as bad as the bubonic plague, scabies is on the rise in the UK and causing nightmares for anyone unfortunate enough to have it.
The brutal disease has surged in numbers in recent months and occurs when parasitic mites burrow into our skin, leaving victims with intensely itchy rashes in some of the most sensitive areas of the human body.
Your skin might be crawling just reading about it, but anyone who has contracted it knows just how frustrating and painful it can be, with one woman telling the BBC that the itching 'drove her insane'.
Advert
One of the biggest concerns with the disease is just how easily it can be misdiagnosed, with doctors often fooled into thinking it could be something more common such as eczema.
If your skin is showing greyish, thread-like burrows rather than just dry scaly redness, then it's more likely to be scabies and you should seek out medical advice or treatment.
Dr Tess Mcpherson, of the British Association of Dermatologists (I'm not sure they thought that acronym through), told the Mirror: “A lot of people don’t necessarily go to a GP, so you don’t get perfect data. We’re seeing more young people presenting with problematic scabies. Some of the issues is that people didn’t recognise it before. A lot of people are not getting the right treatments.”
Despite it being seen as a medieval disease, she suggested that it will probably be around 'forever' and that we need to remove some of the shame and stigma around having scabies.
She added: “I think we can all do a job to make people feel that there’s no shame in having scabies.
“It’s just something which has been with humans forever, and it probably will be with humans forever.”
The highly infectious disease can affect anybody and isn't related to poor hygiene, with doctors also warning about the point in which it's necessary to seek medical assistance.
Dr Sophie Momen, consultant dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic, added: “You should seek medical advice if a rash is persistent, worsening or intensely itchy, particularly if it doesn’t respond to over-the-counter treatments.
“Scabies should be suspected if multiple household members are itching, the rash appears in classic areas like between fingers or around the waist, or if burrow marks are visible. If you develop signs of infection (such as pus, swelling or fever), immediate medical attention is necessary.”
Fortunately, the condition can be treated although some reports suggest that mites are becoming more resistant to permethrin, the common treatment used to kill them.
If you want to prevent their spread, you'll also want to prevent prolonged skin contact with infected individuals and also avoid sharing personal items like clothing or bedding.
Topics: Health
James Moorhouse