A 10-year-old girl has been diagnosed with scabies. There are three other children and two adults living in the household. The nurse can best educate caregivers by stating
“Scabies is only transmitted through person-to-person contact.”
“Everyone in the household needs to receive treatment.”
“If anyone shows symptoms, come into the clinic for treatment.”
“Since the child has started treatment, she is no longer contagious.”
Number 2 is correct.
Scabies is very contagious and can be transmitted from skin-to-skin contact and also by sharing towels, sheets, and bedding with an infected person. Since scabies can be transmitted before symptoms occur, everyone in the household should be treated; other members of the household may already be infected.
