28 May 2004

IN SICKNESS OR IN HEALTH
How Much Itch Can Love Endure?


This week's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine features an interesting case study:

"A 24-year-old man and his fiancee had pruritus (itching) of two months' duration. They had similar skin lesions, with burrows on the webs between their fingers. A specimen obtained from scrapings of the woman's hand was prepared and examined with the use of a scanning electron microscope. The scabies infestations were successfully treated by overnight application of 5 percent permethrin cream."

Two months of itching? That is way too long, if you ask me. A case of misery loves company? Or a case of too much love, they forgot about the itch? Either way, scabies infestation is annoying and easily transmitted. It is also easily treated when diagnosed. My 2cents here is that they shouldn't have waited that long.

If you want to know more about scabies, click here.



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