Scabies is a skin condition caused by infestation with mites. A mite is a spider-like insect so small that it can only be seen under a microscope.
The female mite burrows under the skin and lays eggs. The path where the mite burrows looks like a tiny scratch mark. The mites cause severe itching. If the skin is scratched open, it can become infected.
Scabies is "caught" by having skin-to-skin contact with a person who has it, or much less commonly, by wearing clothes that have scabies mites living in them. It is not caused by poor hygiene. All family members who have had direct contact with an affected person should be treated at the same time.
