DefinitionScabies is a contagious skin disease caused by a species of mite that is very small.Alternative NamesSarcoptes scabieiCauses, incidence, and risk factorsScabies is found worldwide among people of all groups and ages. It is spread by direct contact with infected people and less often by sharing clothing or bedding. Sometimes whole families are affected.The mites that cause scabies burrow into the skin and deposit their eggs, forming a burrow that looks like a pencil mark. Eggs mature in 21 days. The itchy rash is an allergic response to the mite.SymptomsItching, especially at nightRashesSores (abrasions) on the skin from scratching and diggingThin, pencil-mark lines on the skinMites may be more widespread on a baby's skin, causing pimples over the trunk, or small blisters over the