Will Etofenprox Kill Scabies?

If you have scabies, you know you want to get rid of it as soon as possible. Scabies is a contagious infection caused by parasitic mites, and it can cause intense itching anywhere on the body, itching caused by the body's allergic reaction to the burrowing mites. There are a variety of successful ways to treat scabies, but etofenprox isn't one.

Diagnosing Scabies

• Scabies is caused by Sarcoptes scabiei, a parasitic mite with eight legs. A female scabies mite tunnels into the skin and deposits eggs in the burrow. The larvae hatch in three to 10 days, move about on the skin, and produce more itchy burrows.

  Scabies mites are very contagious and can be spread by skin-to-skin contact. While it is rare to get scabies from brief contact, like shaking hands, more prolonged contact, like sexual activity, can aid in its transmission. Scabies is more common among those patients in close living situations or those with compromised immune systems. Scabies is diagnosed by observing the mites microscopically and looking for their characteristic burrows in the skin.

Treating Scabies

• Scabies is highly treatable, using a variety of skin lotions and creams. Permethrin is usually the first choice for scabies treatment. The patient covers his entire body below the neck with the lotion, leaves it on for eight to 14 hours, then rinses it off. One application is usually successful. Other scabicides (mite-killing treatments) include malathion and crotamiton.

  Scabies has been treated with sulfur for the past 2,000 years, and sulfur bar soap is available over the counter (doctors recommend 1 percent to 10 percent for killing scabies). Lindane was often prescribed until 2003, when it was found that it can cause damage to the nervous system. It is now prescribed only for patients unable to take the first-line drugs.

  Instead of a cream or lotion, a doctor might prescribe oral ivermectin to treat scabies. This drug was originally developed for veterinary practice as an anti-parasite agent, but has in recent years it been approved for treating scabies in humans, even those in high-risk categories.

  According to the Center for Disease Control, no over-the-counter products have been tested and approved to treat or cure scabies. However, patients can use antihistamines such as Benadryl or lotions like calamine to reduce the intense itching.

  Etofenprox is not approved for scabies treatment. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation, etofenprox is used as an insecticide for a broad range of crops, including rice, fruits, vegetables, corn, soybeans and tea. It is active against moths, butterflies, cicadas, aphids, beetles, flies, wasps, bees, termites, and ants, but it is neither effective nor recommended for use on scabies mites. There is some debate about whether etofenprox is a carcinogen to humans. It should be avoided if there are other options for pest removal.

Cleaning After Scabies

• Even after being treated, those with scabies have to completely clean their homes and living areas. When multiple members in a family have scabies, they should be treated at the same time. To clear a house of mites, wash bedding, clothes, and towels multiple times in hot water. Furniture should be treated, and floors, carpets and rugs should all be cleaned, preferably by a professional. Any hard floors and all bathroom surfaces should be disinfected.