The staff at Holiday Resort has been working to protect residents and employees from a case of scabies confirmed this month at the care home.
Administrator Mike Kerbs notified residents’ families late last week that one of its residents was diagnosed with scabies, which results when a microscopic mite infests the skin.
Kerbs said that on the same day of notification, all residents had a head-to-toe assessment by a nurse to check for other cases. So far, Kerbs said this morning, no other cases have been confirmed.
Staff members were told of the situation and could request the permethrin lotion treatment for themselves.
Each resident was treated against scabies during the weekend to prevent spreading, Kerbs said, and all linens and personal clothing also were cleaned as a preventive measure.
The Web site for the National Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta said scabies outbreaks in institutional settings are not unusual.
“Infestation is common, found worldwide, and affects people of all races and social classes,” the CDC Web site said. “Scabies spreads rapidly under crowded conditions where there is frequent skin-to-skin contact between people, such as in hospitals, institutions, child-care facilities and nursing homes.”
The mite burrows into the skin and a skin scraping may be taken to look for mites, eggs or mite fecal matter to confirm the diagnosis, the CDC said.
“Typically, there are fewer than 10 mites on the entire body of an infested person,” the Web site said. “This makes it easy for an infestation to be missed.”
Scabies are contracted by direct, prolonged skin-to-skin contact with a person already infested, the CDC said.
“A quick handshake or hug will usually not spread infestation. Infestation is easily spread to sexual partners and household members. Investation may also occur by sharing clothing, towels and bedding.
“Scabies is passed from human to human, rather than from animal to human. Pets become infected with a different type of scabies, commonly called mange. The mange mite can go under the skin and cause itching and skin irritation, but it dies in several days, and treatment is not needed, unless the pet re-infestation occurs.”
Symptoms of scabies are:
• Pimple-like irritations, burrows or rash on skin, especially in webbing between fingers; also skin folds on wrist, elbow, knee, genitals or shoulder blades.
• Intense itching, especially at night.
• Sores on the body caused by scratching. Sores can become infected.
Elderly people and people with weakened immune systems are more at-risk of contracting scabies. Symptoms make take four to six weeks to appear.
Several lotions are available to treat scabies. No new burrows or rashes should appear 24 to 48 hours after effective treatment. Second treatments may be necessary seven to 10 days later, the CDC said.
Holiday Resort has notified Renee Hively, public health supervisor for the Flint Hills Community Health Center, and the Kansas Department on Aging about the incident of scabies.
“Both agencies stated that they were comfortable with our timely action and recommend that each family member take the time to educate themselves and their family members about this issue,” Kerbs said in the letter to families. “... Our goal is to quickly eliminate the opportunity for this to spread.”