認識「疥瘡」 Know more about Scabies
疥瘡係一種寄生蟲導致嘅皮膚病，由疥蟎引起。疥蟎非常細小，會鑽入人體皮膚，挖出隧道寄居同繁殖。疥蟎嘅卵子同排洩物會令到皮膚極度痕癢。疥瘡可以影響任何人，一般係經過直接接觸患者皮膚而傳播，患者衣物亦都可能有疥蟎同卵子，所以疥瘡可以係擠迫嘅環境下迅速傳播，例如老人院同幼兒中心。
Scabies is a skin disease caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, which is a small parasite that burrows into, resides and reproduces in human skin. The eggs and the discharges of mites will cause itchiness. It affects people of all ages and usually spreads through direct skin contact with an infected person. Clothing and bedding contaminated by an infected person may also carry the mites or eggs and transmit the disease. It can spread rapidly in crowded conditions like child-care facilities and elderly homes.
症狀
Symptoms
典型嘅症狀係患處非常痕癢，尤其喺夜晚或沖熱水涼後，痕癢會更加嚴重。皮膚表面會出現紅疹同線形痕跡。疥蟎會入侵皮膚皺褶，以及較柔軟嘅皮膚，例如手指隙、手腕、手肘、腋下、乳頭、下腹、外生殖器官、臀部及股溝等部位。如果從未感染過疥瘡，一般潛伏期係2-6星期。但如果感染過疥瘡，潛伏期會比較短，大概1-4日內就會出現症狀。
The most common symptom of scabies is intense itchiness, which is more severe at night or after a bath. Rashes or thread-like lesions may also be seen on the skin. The commonly affected areas are finger webs, wrists, elbows, armpits,nipples, lower abdomen, external genitalia, buttocks and shoulder blades. Incubation period is about 2 to 6 weeks for people with new infestation. For people who have previously been infested with scabies, symptoms develop sooner, usually within 1 to 4 days after re-exposure.
治療方法
Management
要治療疥瘡，就要將疥蟎同蟲卵徹底消滅。Permethrin係目前比較有效治療疥瘡嘅藥物，只需要喺瞓覺前，塗滿頸以下全身嘅皮膚，保留8-14小時後沖洗乾淨，一星期後再重複一次便可。
To cure scabies, it’s essential to kill the mites and its egg completely. Permethrin lotion is an effective topical medication for the treatment of scabies. Apply the lotion thoroughly a bedtime to all body parts from the head to the soles of the feet and leave the medication on for 8 to 14 hours, then wash off completely. Apply again after 7 days.
喺消滅疥蟎後，疥瘡嘅痕癢仍然有可能持續幾個星期。患者可以喺晚上服用有睡意嘅口服抗組織胺藥物或喺痕癢處塗抹外用抗組織胺藥物Crotamiton，每日塗2-3次。如果有紅腫痕癢，患者亦可根據藥劑師或醫生指示底下，使用含有類固醇嘅藥膏。
After killing the mites, the itchiness might persist for few weeks. Infested person can take the drowsy oral antihistamine at night and apply the topical antihistamine cream Crotamiton. Rub the cream into the affected area 2 to 3 time daily until the itching has subsided. Infested person can also use topical steroid cream for rashes and itchiness under the instruction of pharmacists or doctors.
除咗藥物治療，若要杜絕疥蟎，必須用攝氏60度以上嘅熱水，徹底清洗患者嘅衣物、床單、被鋪、枕頭等用品，至少10分鐘，以消滅疥蟎及其蟲卵。而難以清洗嘅用品，如鞋同棉被，就可放喺密封袋內至少14天，等疥蟎自然死亡。衣物應分開清洗，而共同使用嘅用品，應使用清潔劑清洗後先再次使用。
Apart from using medication, to kill the mites and its eggs, the clothing, towels and bed linen of the infested persons should be washed separately in hot water at 60°C or above for not less than 10 minutes. Place non-washable items in a sealed plastic bag for at least 14 days before reuse so to let the mites to die naturally. Clean shared use equipment and devices with detergent before using on other persons.
由於疥瘡係一種傳染病，如果有屋企人發現疥瘡，應盡早隔離，而家人亦有可能需要接受治療。
As scabies is an easily transmitted disease, infested person should be isolated and family members should also receive treatment.
屈臣氏藥劑師團隊
Watsons Pharmacy Team
