Highly infectious skin disease Bonn clinic closes whole ward due to scabies

High risk of infection: Bonn hospital closes whole ward due to scabies

Scabbers: Alone when the word falls, some people are already grasping at the arm and starting to scratch. Although many think that the contagious skin disease would have died out, that is not the case. A Bonn hospital had to close even a whole ward because of the infectious disease.

Scabies had never completely disappeared from the scene

Scabies was considered in this country for a long time as extinct. But completely disappeared from the scene the skin disease was never. There were always phases in which scabies cases piled up. At present, there are increasing numbers of cases of contagious disease in the Rhineland. For example, a 10-year-old girl from Cologne recently became infected with it. In the neighboring Bonn now a whole station of a clinic had to be closed because of scabies.

Some people think the scabies are long gone. But the skin disease, which is accompanied by severe itching, occurs again and again. In Bonn now a whole ward of a clinic was closed because of the infectious disease. (Image: miamariam / fotolia.com)

Completely closed station of a clinic
On Friday, the Johanniter Hospital in Bonn has closed a whole department, as "in several patients and nurses the scabies (Skibies, Scabies of Latin scabere, scratching) was detected," it says in a statement.

"The closure of Ward 1 A in the Johanniter Hospital is a pure precautionary measure, which we have carried out in consultation with the Bonn Public Health Department," explained hospital director Dr. Marc Heiderhoff.

The entire station will now be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected at high pressure in a multi-stage process to prevent further spread. Diseased patients are treated in isolation.

According to the information, all patients who were in the ward during the last three weeks and their relatives were also informed. The same applies to the treating physicians, the caregivers and their relatives, who are also treated.

A danger for patients in other departments, for visitors and coworkers exists according to Dr. med. Heiderhoff not. The hospital management expects to be able to reopen Station 1 A from the beginning of next week after completing all measures.

Skin disease is caused by itch mites

Scabies (Scabies) is a parasitic skin disease associated with blisters, red pustules, itchy rash and pain.

The uncomfortable symptoms are caused by itch mites, which deposit the bugs and eggs in the skin of those affected, where they trigger allergic reactions. This then triggers the intense itching that gave the disease its name.

"Scabies (mites) are transmitted through close human-to-human contacts, especially during bed warming," reports the health department of the city of Bonn on its website.

"It mainly affects the skin between the fingers and behind the ears and wrinkles in the wrists, elbows, armpits, belt area, knee and feet. Sometimes you can see the mite gullies in the skin, "say the experts.

"Rarely are transmission routes through infected laundry, clothing, blankets and pets."

Skin disease is easily treatable

Since the scabies is easy to treat, there is nothing to worry about, according to the Bonn clinic. Medical creams and medicines are available for the treatment.

Important to know: There is a risk of infection until the end of treatment.

Indirect transmission is possible because the mites can also survive outside the organism.

Therefore, clothes, bed linen, towels and other items with prolonged body contact (e.g., blood pressure cuffs, slippers, stuffed animals, etc.) should be washed at least 50 ° C for at least 10 minutes, writes the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).

"If this is not possible, the items and textiles can be packed in plastic bags or shrink wrapped in foil and stored for 72 hours at a minimum of 21 ° C," the experts continue.

Upholstered furniture, sofa cushions or textile floor coverings can be vacuumed with a strong vacuum cleaner (filter and bag disposed afterwards) or not used for at least 48 hours. (Ad)