Tips
- Identifcation and removal of the offending arthropod.
- Apply permethrin to clothing for 2 week protection, through two washings. It can also be applied directly to exposed skin keeping the insects away for a few days .
- Apply insect repellents containing DEET (diethyltoluamide) to exposed skin.
- De-flea cats, dogs and other household pets regularly.
- Use electrical insect repelling devices and lit coils.
- Fumigation of the home should also be considered in recurrent cases.
- Clothes and bedding should be laundered before and after treatment; specifcally, placed in a dryer at 60°C for 10 minutes to dehydrate and kill scabies and bed bugs.
- Drain pools of stagnating water that attract mosquitoes.
- Keep windows and doors closed at night.
- Wear fully covering clothing.
- Empiric therapy for scabies may be considered.
Medical treatment
For mild cases
- Mild topical steroids
- Non sedating antihistamines
- loratadine
- desloratidine
- fexofenadine
- cetirizine
- levocetirizine
- if severe ithcing : diphenhydramine and hydroxyzine.
- Topical agents
- Camphor
- Menthol
- Calamine lotion
- Rotamiton
- Lidocaine,
- Pramoxine
For severe cases
- Short-term systemic corticosteroids.
- Oral prednisone : starting at 1 mg/kg.
For secondary infection
- Topical or systemic antibiotics
Insect repellents
- DEET.
- Permethrin.
- Thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B1) : 75 to 150 mg (systemic insect repellent).