Scabies

[deejah]

the truth is he is someone i know but may be viewing this forum

he was diagnosis with scabies by a dermatologist and treated

symptoms: intense itching and a rash

have there been other cases in pattaya or is this really the rare instance?

i think this is a VERY valid question as i never want to get the little buggers

and if they are prevalent in pattaya i want to avoid them like the plague they are

and perhaps can help others to do the same

and they need to be wiped out completely if at all possible

like bed bus, i have heard read seen etc very little about them in Thailand and pattaya

and there have been few little reports in the press, media and online

not very prevalent so far thank goodness

but the chances of ONE isolated case if they really were scabies is close to NULL

thanks in advance for letting this run :jap:

my typing English and wording are not perfect

but no harm done

Edited January 13, 2011 by deejah

[Jingthing]

Scabies has been with man for eons, and of course it has always been in Pattaya. Promiscuity increases your chances of getting, so does living in close quarters with people such as in Thai prisons, where scabies is epidemic. There isn't much you can do to prevent catching it if you sleep around, except to be careful to avoid sexual partners who are scratching their skin a lot.

I think it is a good thing you brought up the topic. Generally, people who have scabies don't want to broadcast it, so that might explain why you haven't heard about it much. The treatments for it, btw, are extremely toxic, and a commonly prescribed medication for it in Thailand Jacutin, is carcinogenic and banned in many countries. Jacutin can also cause death to asthmatics.

Of course, lice is even much more common than scabies, and Jacutin (lindane) is also given for lice treatment in Thailand. That's like killing a cockroach with a machine gun.

Edited January 13, 2011 by Jingthing

[deejah]

Scabies has been with man for eons, and of course it has always been in Pattaya. Promiscuity increases your chances of getting, so does living in close quarters with people such as in Thai prisons, where scabies is epidemic. There isn't much you can do to prevent catching it if you sleep around, except to be careful to avoid sexual partners who are scratching their skin a lot.

I think it is a good thing you brought up the topic. Generally, people who have scabies don't want to broadcast it, so that might explain why you haven't heard about it much. The treatments for it, btw, are extremely toxic, and a commonly prescribed medication for it in Thailand Jacutin, is carcinogenic and banned in many countries. Jacutin can also cause death to asthmatics.

Of course, lice is even much more common than scabies, and Jacutin (lindane) is also given for lice treatment in Thailand. That's like killing a cockroach with a machine gun.

excellent

thanks

helpful

informative

good English too

[rgs2001uk]

Avoiding cheap hotels and cheap women helps.

[homeless007]

Jingthing is exactly right. I know of several cases of Scabies in Pattaya during my 12 years here. But like the subject HPV(Genital Warts), nobody likes to advertise it. Medication is readily available, but 100% hygiene is a must to get rid of it.

I used to live in Brasil and do community work (with medical corps) in poor areas of the NE. Lots of scabies, especially with children. With poor hygiene and crammed living quarters, not easy to control. :jap:

[Bagwan]

I have to disagree that hygiene has anything to do with acquiring scabies since they can be passed on, and circulated across all levels of society, just as HIV is. Nobody is immune. It was held in the Navy that those who paid particular attention to personal cleanliness were most vulnerable. Generally, crabs as we called them, do not travel above the waist but I know of two guys who had them in their beards. No prizes for guessing what they had been up to.

I caught scabies from a girl in a Tangier brothel. I was very embarrassed as I had just been promoted to the giddy heights of Ordinary Seaman having reached the venerable age of 17 years and 6 months and had moved onto the men's mess deck from the Boy Seaman's mess. My treatment consisted of stripping to the waist, hopping up onto the operating table in the Sick Bay and being shaved with a cut throat razor by a Sick Berth Attendant whose reputation was to favour other men. I was in a state of the utmost trepidation during the entire procedure. Afterward I was smeared with some unguent that looked and smelled like axle grease. The treatment wasn't entirely successful and I presume, that like head lice, only the adults were killed off but eggs were still hatching. A few days later I went through the procedure again. The itching during the day was intermittent and tolerable but at night, cosy and warm in my hammock, it was almost unbearable. Then came a change of treatment and I was smothered with a white powder and that did the trick. I still itched at night as my pubic hair started to grow. Within a day or two we were back in the UK and was met by my then very sporting girlfriend. She was eager to make up for going without for the 2 months that I had been away but I could not face the questioning that she would have when seeing that all I could show was stubble around the family jewels. It took a lot of persuasion on my part that, although raring to go, I wanted to desist until after we were married - couldn't think of anything else. I was a very frustrated little lad for a couple of months.

[Jingthing]

Hygiene is an issue for treatment though (to get rid of the buggies from clothing and bedding) and avoiding reinfection though.

[rak sa_ngop]

I have to disagree that hygiene has anything to do with acquiring scabies since they can be passed on, and circulated across all levels of society, just as HIV is. Nobody is immune. It was held in the Navy that those who paid particular attention to personal cleanliness were most vulnerable. Generally, crabs as we called them, do not travel above the waist but I know of two guys who had them in their beards. No prizes for guessing what they had been up to.

I caught scabies from a girl in a Tangier brothel. I was very embarrassed as I had just been promoted to the giddy heights of Ordinary Seaman having reached the venerable age of 17 years and 6 months and had moved onto the men's mess deck from the Boy Seaman's mess. My treatment consisted of stripping to the waist, hopping up onto the operating table in the Sick Bay and being shaved with a cut throat razor by a Sick Berth Attendant whose reputation was to favour other men. I was in a state of the utmost trepidation during the entire procedure. Afterward I was smeared with some unguent that looked and smelled like axle grease. The treatment wasn't entirely successful and I presume, that like head lice, only the adults were killed off but eggs were still hatching. A few days later I went through the procedure again. The itching during the day was intermittent and tolerable but at night, cosy and warm in my hammock, it was almost unbearable. Then came a change of treatment and I was smothered with a white powder and that did the trick. I still itched at night as my pubic hair started to grow. Within a day or two we were back in the UK and was met by my then very sporting girlfriend. She was eager to make up for going without for the 2 months that I had been away but I could not face the questioning that she would have when seeing that all I could show was stubble around the family jewels. It took a lot of persuasion on my part that, although raring to go, I wanted to desist until after we were married - couldn't think of anything else. I was a very frustrated little lad for a couple of months.

You are confusing crabs with scabies. They are two completely different animals.

The scabies mite burrows under the skin, and eats, shits and lays eggs under the skin. This can cause cause a skin reaction over the whole body and can take months even years to clear completely. It is far more uncomfortable that pubic lice.

The good news about scabies bugs, as opposed to bed bugs is that they require a human host to survive and will die out 24 - 72 hours if seperated from a human host (please correct me if I am wrong)

[Sheryl]

Sacbies is endemic everywhere in the world, including in the west. outbreaks are common in institituional settings, schools etc. Spread from person to person or via sharing of bed linen, towels etc.

It is nothing special to Thailand or Pattaya, but of course it is here just like it is everywhere else.

[sunshinegirl]

I got scabies in London. Dirty bedlinen or towels thought doc. You need to wash bedlinen and towels seperately every day.. Do not let anyone else use them.as it is easily spread. My hubby had to sleep in different bed for 10 days till I got rid of it.

[Jingthing]

I got scabies in London. Dirty bedlinen or towels thought doc. You need to wash bedlinen and towels seperately every day.. Do not let anyone else use them.as it is easily spread. My hubby had to sleep in different bed for 10 days till I got rid of it.

There is an issue with the water being hot enough as well for the washing. It might just be easier to apply treatment, ditch the clothes and take a holiday to a nudist camp!

[deejah]

great

thanks

note to self

post in this forum

avoid pattaya and general

[Yelly]

I am a very clean Westerner and I've had scabies four times in the past three years. Unfortunately, you can get scabies from a simple act, like walking along a beach at sunset or sitting down on a toilet near to the time that someone else with scabies has. You can also get it from sleeping in a hotel room, trying on clothes in a store, riding in a cab, etc etc. Traveling and experiencing life seems to be the cause of my scabies (no brothels or sleeping around, here - I'm a married woman), not being a dirty tramp. It's the luck of the draw, I guess! There's nothing wrong with anyone who gets scabies, and it's relatively easy to treat.

The problem with treatment, however, is that you will still FEEL like they're there a month or so after they're been eliminated. The reason you are itchy from scabies is because your body has an allergic reaction to the critters. Even when you've killed them, they remain on your body and you're still going to itch from that allergic reaction until your skin process rids your body of the "skeletons" of them. It's a serious nightmare to deal with, and I don't wish it on anyone, but I've learned to take care of the problem when it arises. If you've had scabies before, you will recognize the "type" of itch and the burrows from the times you've had them before, and you will feel it about two days after your body has been infected. If you've never had scabies, it can take almost a month for the allergic reaction to hit you. The minute you suspect it's scabies, treat it, because it can only get worse.

As far as treatment, I've done a lot of them.

The first time I got them, a friend who borrowed my bed when I was out of town was the culprit. They had health insurance here in the States, so they got the treatment cream (the only legal treatment in California) and I had to smear it all over my body and clean the bejeebus out of everything I owned. You have to choose the clothes you want to wear for the next two days and keep all other articles away from you. You will be washing your bedding constantly on high heat, and you'll probably want to get a plastic protective cover for your mattress. Lysol was my best friend for sterilizing electronics, etc. This prescribed cream is the biggest pain-in-the-hiney treatment, though, and I don't recommend it to anyone.

The second time I got them, it was in Thailand! It was on Koh Tao and the nurse believed it to be from the beach, because it was a VERY common situation there. She didn't even bat at eye at it and said she saw it almost daily. The treatment there was an oral pill that we took once a day after dinner over the course of the next ten days. We were still highly contagious for the first few days, so we tried not to step without shoes anywhere, etc, but this was the most affective, amazing treatment I've used to date. I am actually rather jealous that you can get the oral pill in Thailand. I researched the name of it when I got home, and found that it was ringworm medication. It cost us 300 BAHT each for the medicine, so I imagine it might be even cheaper on the mainland. It was called Ivermectin. Note, however, that it will give you awful stomach cramps for about a half-hour after the first time you take it. My husband didn't fare too well and wound up throwing the pill up, but the nurse was happy to replace it for him free of charge the next day.

The third time we got the little jerks, we think was from a music festival. It could be from the beach there, or the port-o-potties, but we brought them home with us. We were in the USA, again, but in Missouri this time. Unfortunately, no oral pills and the treatment was the cream. We wound up being raped for the medication and treatment: $75 each to see the doctor and $100 each for the cream. The cream didn't work. I noticed new burrows on my hands and got a refill on the cream: another $100 each gone. At this point, a week later, we realize there are still new marks and the cream isn't working. Deciding to try other things, we go to some web forums and get a "bath cocktail" recipe. Essentially, a few drops of tea tree oil, a few cups of Borax (it's a laundry detergent/cleaner you can find in the states - not sure about Thailand), a few cups of epsom salts in very hot water. Soak in it for about an hour each day for about a week. If you keep cleaning your bedding and cleaning your electronics, making sure not to touch anything that may be infected after you've bathed, you will be fine. They can only live about 2 to 3 days without a host, so if you can do without touching something for a few days, just throw it off to a corner and Lysol the floor around it and you'll be peachy.

The fourth time we got scabies, we got it from a hotel room in Vegas on our way home to California. This was just in November, so it's recent. Scabies is freakin' awful - really itchy and a psychological nightmare. Anyhow, we decided to for-go seeing any doctors and paying any outrageous fees. We bought one bottle of tea tree oil, one box of borax, one box of epsom salts (about $20-$25 total) and did a lot of laundry for a few days and they were gone without a problem. Once you start to recognize the itch, you can act fast and kill the few that are on your body and not have to worry about a bad outbreak. If I found a particularly itchy spot, I just smeared some diluted tea tree oil on it and it kept the itch at bay.

So, yes, I know a lot about this so-called "unclean" disease, but I am by no means unclean. I shower daily and keep my living area and car spotless. I am a "neat freak," if you ask my husband. Unfortunately, you can get these things from just touching the wrong item at a store

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. I'll be helpful as I can, because I have become a bit of an expert on these mites from hell.

Edited January 16, 2011 by Yelly

[Jingthing]

Interesting. Two points, also not sure you can buy Borax in Thailand. Also, catching scabies from a toilet seat may be possible, but quite an unusual/difficult way to get them.

[Yelly]

It's very possible to catch it from a toilet seat, if that toilet is used frequently (Western toilet, too, obviously). If the toilet hasn't been touched in days, then it's impossible.

We're 90% sure that's where we got it at the music festival, at least, because so many people were using them and that's one of the few things I touched that other people there had contact with.

[deejah]

i am itching just reading this thread

excellent and informative

but talk about luck!

perhaps your misfortune

turns out to be a help to others

it is great to be an expert about something

thanks again

signed,

afraid to go anywhere or touch anything or anyone

[bina]

scabies is very host specific. rabbits get scabies taht passes to humans but they dont manage to procreate so the symptoms last about 7 days with treatment and a week w/o treatment. these particular scabies dont stay wtih humans.

goats get their own version. i ve had scabies from the dam_n rabbits several times. as a matter of fact, they do hang out in cracks in walls and hay and everywhere else when they dont have their host. they then go to a different host, like a human. me and daughter are very reactive with horrible itching around the waist, behind the knees, arms etc. ; other workers never get the dam_n bugs. some people are more prone, like with mosquitos or lice, neither of which btw, have anything to do with hygiene but more likely to do with types of blood/hormones. as far as itching, that also is very personal. some people are horribly allergic, adn some never even feel anything. most mammals react the same way. some dogs have horrible reactions, some have none.

its luck of the draw. imvermac (yes, the very same stuff used as an injection (or oral with horses -oral cream such as equvalan, never injected), goats (oral or injected for dogs , rabbits, ferrets etc)... is the main cure.

human scabies is similar. clothing must be boiled as bleach and stuff dont work on the buggers. with animal cages we used a brenner and flamed the whole area, also professional steam cleaning of walls floors etc works.

in the IDF (israeli army) here scabies is a problem as well as lice. anytime u have large amounts of humans under stress, living close together, sharing bedding and clothing u have a recipe for the spread of mites, lice among other spreadable things . the main reason why many of our soldiers refuse to use army issue bedding and prefer to sleep in their own clothes w/o bedding and freeze their butts off (son did the same . once primary training is over they can bring stuff from home and launder at home if and when they get home). wehn one soldier gets it, the whole unit/class gets treated.nothing like being hot, sweaty, unable to shower or change clothes for a week at a time and have 'jungle rot/crotch itch/chafed bum' and unwanted bodily visitors.

body lice usually are aqured ater mutual fun activities....

walking on beaches means u can get sand fleas and other types that also cause itching and allergic chain reactions but not scabies usually.

birds also have various types of mites that can be vectored out to humans, causing itching. again, ivermac mixed with mneral oil placed as drops on the brest bone of the bird (parrots and such) does wonders against the mites. symptoms are: ragged feathers, skinny birds.

bina

israel

[Jingthing]

Like I said, unlikely to get from a toilet seat. However, never mind that, you can get it from shaking hands! Wai me a river ...

How do you get scabies?

Sexual transmission: transmission is more likely to occur when partners spend the night together than with a brief sexual encounter.

Nonsexual transmission : possibly from sleeping in infested bedding, wearing infested clothing, even routine contact such as shaking or holding hands. Transmission from a toilet seat may be possible, but is unlikely.

http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/hbscab.htm

[Scully]

I don't use bar girls but went backpacking around Thailand for about four months, I stayed in 50+ hotels/hostels and am sure I have these little buggers in between my fingers. The heat seems to make them worse but I can have weeks without any sign.

I have tried everywhere in the town up North I live in and was given ivermectin when what I really need is Permethrin, however there is proof that ivermectin might work any ideas?.

[Sheryl]

Between the fingers is a classic location so you probably do.

Lindane is the preferred treatment. Any large pharmacy should have it, but you'll need an actual pharmacist to know what you mean (and write it down for them, explaining it is a ya ta i.e. topical.)

Apply and then wash ioff after 8-12 hours. Sometimes a repeat treatment is needed.

It is easily trasnmitted by bedsheets, towels etc so cheap hotels/hostels that don't always change the linen are an easy source.

[deejah]

i ran a thread on how to treat dogs with mange

and had very impressive results with ivermectin

since it is caused by mites or what 'might' be called doggy scabies

i am under the impression they can be passed on to humans

BUT this is highly unlikely and rare and after hanging around the dogs for a while, never had a problem

well physically that is

[Jingthing]

My understanding is that if you've got scabies between the fingers, you probably need a full body treatment including all clothes and sheets, etc. Isn't that the case? Fingers tend to get around.

[bina]

scabies, from rabbits to humans types, all like the same areas: between fingers and toes, waistline, behind the knees, in the fold of elbows etc. the thing is if its the human kind, it takes a long time to get rid of them. if its from animals like rabbitz, as i have stated before (as a work hazard, we have to learn about scabies)they mmove to human hosts but they cant manage to reproduce, so usually within a week or three the last of the mites and eggs die off. same reason why dog manges dont pass over to humans and stick around.

changing sheets and such is not enough; btw, permethrim works . we've sprayed cages and walls with permethrim (agricultural strenght), there are various kinds with other stuff mixed in so beware if u have pets like cats. mites are really hardy, and really ivermetin is practically best treatment (oral)besides the cream stuff which is permetrim. also cortisones and stuff for the itching, and taking cool showers .... boiling is literally the best way (or burnng)to get rid of them in clothing and sheets. therefore, new mattresses, steam cleaning or flaming works wonders for walls and room/floors.

ihave horrible personal experience with rabbit vectored scabies, so that i learned to wear long sleeves and closed pants wtih elastic on the bottoms when cleaning the rabbit cages. and it can be seasonal. heat seems to make the itching and mite activity more intense.

bina

[Yelly]

what I really need is Permethrin, however there is proof that ivermectin might work any ideas?.

I've used both and prefer orally taking Ivermectin. Permethrin is a lotion that you have to apply to your body, and you have to then clean everything you intend to wear, etc, after treatment. The oral treatment is easier if you're still traveling.

My understanding is that if you've got scabies between the fingers, you probably need a full body treatment including all clothes and sheets, etc. Isn't that the case? Fingers tend to get around.

Absolutely. Just because you only itch between the fingers doesn't mean they aren't already on the move somewhere else on the body.

as i have stated before (as a work hazard, we have to learn about scabies)they mmove to human hosts but they cant manage to reproduce, so usually within a week or three the last of the mites and eggs die off. same reason why dog manges dont pass over to humans and stick around.

wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong. There is a human version of the mite and humans are a host for it. The same mites than infect humans cannot actually survive on animals, and vice-versa for the type you are talking about.

therefore, new mattresses, steam cleaning or flaming works wonders for walls and room/floors.

Flaming? No. No need to go that far. You shouldn't need a new mattress. Just put a plastic cover over it during treatment, and wash bedding every day.

[deejah]

thanks folks

enlightening if scary and disgusting

my original question

not sure if it really has been covered

is how prevalent is it in pattaya and thailand?

or is it a stupid question

or i should do my own research

like bed bugs i assume not very

(though there was news of train infestations a few years back)

or is it about the same elsewhere and everywhere

or does it vary greatly

for instance

in new york there have been reports of high infestation of bed bugs

in upscale joints, too

very difficult to eradicate

BTW i keep seeing bugs here that remind me of the kissing bug

before i google, are they in thailand?

cheers all

happy scratching

ps anything else i need to be paranoid about?

[Yelly]

or is it about the same elsewhere and everywhere

or does it vary greatly

It's all over the world, but it's more prominent in places with a high concentration of people living closer together. There seems to be a higher rate of scabies outbreaks in places like San Francisco and Portland, versus places like the Midwest in America.

[GammaGlobulin]

On 1/13/2011 at 5:41 PM, Jingthing said:

Scabies has been with man for eons,

 

So true.

And...

Such a tragedy, one of many tragedies we must face in life.

 

Scabies is no picnic, for sure.

 

And, I just wonder what treatment the major hospitals resort to in Thailand.

 

Time will tell, my friends....

If I have scabies, I will gladly keep you all updated.

 

Scabies is NOT an STD, by the way.

And so, I feel no stigma reporting should I be diagnosed with a mild case of scabies.

 

The only good thing I can say is that....

There is no doubt that I did NOT....catch scabies from...anyone....

On TV.

There is no doubt.

 

 

[ozimoron]

52 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

So true.

And...

Such a tragedy, one of many tragedies we must face in life.

 

Scabies is no picnic, for sure.

 

And, I just wonder what treatment the major hospitals resort to in Thailand.

 

Time will tell, my friends....

If I have scabies, I will gladly keep you all updated.

 

Scabies is NOT an STD, by the way.

And so, I feel no stigma reporting should I be diagnosed with a mild case of scabies.

 

The only good thing I can say is that....

There is no doubt that I did NOT....catch scabies from...anyone....

On TV.

There is no doubt.

 

 

 

Why oh why have you rebirthed 2 topics from a decade ago to ask about scabies which you claim you haven't got and don't mention anyone you know who did? Can I have my 5 minutes back please?

[GammaGlobulin]

23 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

 

Why oh why have you rebirthed 2 topics from a decade ago to ask about scabies which you claim you haven't got and don't mention anyone you know who did? Can I have my 5 minutes back please?

 

No, you cannot have your five minutes back.

You paid your time, and this is what you get.

 

However, let me clarify:

 

I am 99 percent sure that I have a case of scabies.

Why, I do not know, since I lead a fairly solitary existence.

 

My guess is that I contracted scabies, if I did, due to close contact with fomites.

 

Last year, I visited a house, a dilapidated house, which seemed quite iffy.

I was invited to sit in chair that was in complete disrepair, a chair that was covered with ragged cloth.

A month later, I began to itch.

My hands itched.

My fingers itched.

 

Looking back, this might have been my only contact with the scabies mite that I can think of.

 

Also, as you might know, in some parts of Australia, scabies is treated with ivermectin.

You can google this because I will not post the info here about that.

 

These two topics from yesteryear are still VERY PERTINENT today.

Scabies is not a thing that you might wish to contract, yet it is still just as pervasive as ever.

 

Someday, I do hope that we can have a vaccine for scabies.

 

Until that day arrives, next week, I will visit RAM Hospital, and then report back to you, without fail.

So, then, please wait for my further update.

 

I have no doubt that RAM Hospital, and the dermatologists there, will provide me with the very best, modern, and science-based treatment regimen.

 

I have full confidence in RAM Hospital....

 

So, please, wait for my next update about my Scabies Saga...

Tks!

 

 

Edited January 26 by GammaGlobulin

[GammaGlobulin]

On 1/17/2011 at 10:25 AM, Sheryl said:

Between the fingers is a classic location so you probably do.

Lindane is the preferred treatment. Any large pharmacy should have it, but you'll need an actual pharmacist to know what you mean (and write it down for them, explaining it is a ya ta i.e. topical.)

Apply and then wash ioff after 8-12 hours. Sometimes a repeat treatment is needed.

It is easily trasnmitted by bedsheets, towels etc so cheap hotels/hostels that don't always change the linen are an easy source.

 

Concerning the sheets in my house...

I plan to remove all bedding.

Send to some cleaner that can wash and dry at over 50 degrees C, or discard, in fact.

Then buy new bedding.

 

The cost of bedding is NOTHING compared to the psychological hardship of being infested with a mite that is too small to see.

 

A true hassle, is the scabies mite.

 

The life cycle of the mite is such that one could move out of the house for a few days, a few weeks, and expect that all mites might be dead before one returns.

 

There is much good info on the internet about scabies.

 

If one has a partner, then both must be treated simultaneously.

Fortunately, I live a alone.

And, must just treat myself.

(Physician, heal thyself!)