Scabies
What is scabies?
Scabies is a parasite, a small mite, that lives in the skin of humans. It sometimes digs under the skin, lays eggs and causes severe itching. Scabies only has humans as hosts and dies within a few days outside the host at room temperature.
How widespread scabies is in society varies, and often comes in waves at decades intervals. Now in the last 1-2 years, there has been a marked increase in scabies in society in Norway.
Scabies is transmitted by close skin contact between people, for example through sexual intercourse and is therefore also referred to as a sexually transmitted disease. It can also be transmitted by lying in the same bed or being close to each other. Less often, it is transmitted through objects such as blankets, towels, clothes and objects.