MN
A 30-year-old female asked:
How do u get scabies?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Tanya Russoanswered
Pediatrics 26 years experience
Scabies: The scabies mite is a microscopic parasite that is passed from the skin of an infected person to another, usually by close physical contact. The mite only lives up to 3 days off the human body because it requires a very specific temperature to live and breed.
2.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Similar questions
A member asked:
Can u get scabies twice?
4 doctor answers • 8 doctors weighed in

Dr. James Fergusonanswered
Pediatrics 47 years experience
Yes: If re-exposed, you can get it numerous times. You do not develop immunity. However, it can take 6 or more weeks for the itching and rashes associated with a case to finally heal.
3.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Lake Worth, FL
A 29-year-old female asked:
Can u get scabies from sitting on same couch?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Martin Raffanswered
Infectious Disease 57 years experience
Yes: Scabies is spread when there is direct, prolonged, skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. Transmission of scabies can also be the result of sharing clothing, towels, and bedding.
5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
MO
A 32-year-old member asked:
How can you get scabies?
5 doctor answers • 8 doctors weighed in

Dr. Jennifer Haleyanswered
Dermatology 24 years experience
Close contact: It is a mite that lives on the body and can be transferred by close bodily contact. It can take up to 6 weeks to cause symptoms after the contact occurs.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Barbara Stark Baxter commented
Allergy and Immunology 43 years experience
But even when 2 people sleep in the same bed and are intimate together, scabies may only infest one of them. It can seem odd who gets them sometimes! Cleaner people who shower often will get milder cases, in general. But even doctors can catch them, just from touching patients.
Jul 17, 2012
Last updated Sep 14, 2018
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