Radnor Township School District Combating Scabies Outbreak
WAYNE, Pa. (CBS) -- The Radnor Township School District is dealing with an outbreak of scabies. Seventeen Radnor Middle School students and two Radnor Elementary School students have been diagnosed with the contagious itchy skin condition.
The school district sent a letter to parents about the outbreak on Friday.
"We wanted to make our entire district community aware of this situation to ensure you are alert to the signs and symptoms and to recommend you consult your family healthcare provider should you or your child(ren) present symptoms," the school district said in a letter.
According to the Mayo Clinic, "scabies is an itchy skin condition caused by a tiny burrowing mite called Sarcoptes scabiei."
The eight-legged mite burrows under the skin and lays its eggs. The most common sites on the body are in between the fingers, wrists, armpits, waistline, thighs and genitalia.
The itching is most intense at night.
The incubation period is two to six weeks before itching occurs or one to four days after re-exposure.
Custodians at the schools are combating the situation by applying an electrostatic disinfectant in classrooms. The disinfectant is a safe spray that is used for infection control and to eliminate the spread of viruses.
The school district says that any student with the signs and symptoms of scabies won't be allowed back to school unless they have a note from a health care provider that states the child is under treatment. The student must also have the affected areas of the skin covered too.
