Scabies Transmission: Direct Contact and Fomites, Not Casual Touch

Scabies (Sarcoptes scabiei mite) spreads via:

• Prolonged skin-to-skin contact (sexual, household, caregiving).
• Shared fomites: Clothing, bedding, towels used by an infested person.

Casual contact (handshake, brief hug) rarely transmits scabies. Mites survive <72 hours off-host.

Treatment: topical permethrin 5% or oral ivermectin; treat all close contacts simultaneously; decontaminate linens (hot wash/dry).