There’s nothing worse then discovering that you have scabies.  All of the sudden, you are wondering where you got it from.  The first clue as to where it came from is where on your body it’s located at.  For example, on the hands, it’s likely to have come from something you handled.  On the legs or feet, it may have come from the carpet.

The most likely places for scabies to be acquired include nursing homes, daycare centers and hospitals.  Anywhere people live in close quarters, there’s a chance that the mite can spread from person to person.  It can spread both through physical contact and through touching a contaminated surface.  Thus, it’s important that everything be decontaminated frequently by washing in hot water to get rid of the mite.

However, you can pick up scabies in just about any public place.  The mite itself can live for up to three days without a human host; the eggs can live a little bit longer.  Both the mite and the eggs cannot be seen with the eyes.  See these pictures of scabies eggs to see what they look like under the microscope.  Anywhere a heavily infested person sat or rested can be suspect.  And since symptoms of scabies don’t show up for at least six weeks, it’s easy to spread it before you even know that you have it.

The best way to protect yourself is with scabies sulfur treatment.  This consists of sulfur powder.  Sulfur repels the mite, so it can be a good idea to take some to sprinkle on your hotel bed while traveling.  If you intend to sit somewhere for a while, it can help to sprinkle the powder there as well.  Scabies can also spread through dirty clothing and unwashed linens, so wearing gloves while handling these is a must.