Максим

Scabies is caused by a mite (like a tiny insect) called Sarcoptes scabiei. The mite is a parasite, meaning it lives off the host (a human) with no benefit to the host. Scabies mites are tiny. They have a cream-coloured body, bristles and spines on their back, and four pairs of legs. The female mite is bigger (about 0.4 mm x 0.3 mm) compared with the male (0.2 mm x 0.15 mm). The female mites tunnel into the skin and lay eggs. About 40-50 eggs are laid in the lifetime of a mite. The eggs hatch into larvae after 3-4 days, these then grow into adults within 10-15 days. Less than one in 10 eggs becomes an adult scabies mite.