Which environmental management step is recommended in scabies treatment?

Which environmental management step is recommended in scabies treatment?

• A. Put nonwashable items in a plastic bag and store for 1 week
• B. Disinfect all textiles with bleach
• C. Discard all clothing
• D. Ignore environmental cleaning

Answer: (A)

Environmental management in scabies treatment focuses on removing or killing mites that may be on items the patient has touched, to prevent reinfestation. Because scabies mites do not survive long without a human host, sealing nonwashable items in a plastic bag for about a week effectively deprives them of a host and lets any remaining mites die. For items that can be washed, hot water laundering and a hot dryer are recommended to kill mites. This approach avoids unnecessary discard of clothing and avoids relying on harsh chemicals. Disinfecting with bleach is not required for textiles, discarding all clothing isn’t necessary, and ignoring environmental cleaning would increase the chance of continued transmission.

Environmental management in scabies treatment focuses on removing or killing mites that may be on items the patient has touched, to prevent reinfestation. Because scabies mites do not survive long without a human host, sealing nonwashable items in a plastic bag for about a week effectively deprives them of a host and lets any remaining mites die. For items that can be washed, hot water laundering and a hot dryer are recommended to kill mites. This approach avoids unnecessary discard of clothing and avoids relying on harsh chemicals. Disinfecting with bleach is not required for textiles, discarding all clothing isn’t necessary, and ignoring environmental cleaning would increase the chance of continued transmission.