With a rise in the number of scabies cases, a common skin ailment characterised by itching during night and redness, dermatologists say the reduced frequency of taking baths and the habit of wearing the same clothes for days together can be an open invitation for this highly infectious skin disease.

According to city-based dermatologists, skin infection cases start pouring in with the onset of winters and continue till the end of March.

“Scabies, being highly contagious, infects all members of a family. Caused by mites, the disease spreads due to the sharing of clothes or by merely being in close contact with the infected person. Hence, medication is advised not only to the patient but also other family members,” said a dermatologist at a government hospital here.

He added: “There are a large number of slum dwellers in the city who are thronging the dispensaries with complaints of acute itching during the night. Generally, patients do not maintain proper personal hygiene during the winters and often skip bath for days together. Many a times, they continue to wear the same clothes as well. This is a cradle for the mites to grow which causes scabies.”

Mites may also enter the quilts and blankets, which can be done away with frequent washing in the winters.

As part of the treatment, doctors suggest that patients should have a bath daily and also boil their clothes, especially undergarments.

Cutting of nails and washing of hands with soap and water several times during the day are other recommendations to prevent the spread of the disease.